Bathinda: Barnala police on Wednesday arrested AAP sarpanch Manpreet Kaur of Hero Kalan village in Mansa district for allegedly duping a Barnala resident of Rs 36 lakh on the pretext of sending his son abroad on a student visa.According to police, complainant Avtar Singh alleged that he was introduced to Sony, who ran an immigration firm and claimed to have sent hundreds of youths, mainly to Canada. Sony allegedly promised to secure a student visa for Avtar’s son, Jaspinder Singh, and collected ₹36 lakh, including college fees. The accused family also allegedly offered to transfer a piece of land as security if the youth was not sent abroad.When neither the visa materialised nor the land was transferred, Avtar approached police. An FIR was registered against Sony, his wife Manpreet Kaur and his sister Sukhjit Kaur under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy.Barnala SSP Sarfaraz Alam confirmed Manpreet Kaur’s arrest and said further investigation was underway. Sony is yet to be arrested.
