Indian courts rule on immigration fraud and narcotics bail pleas

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has denied anticipatory bail to a man accused of defrauding a woman of ₹5.8 lakh under the guise of facilitating migration to Canada. Justice Sumeet Goel characterized such immigration consultancy fraud as a “growing menace” that involves elements of human trafficking and strikes at social trust. The case involved a promise to secure a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) route, but the funds were allegedly transferred to the petitioner's account without the travel arrangements being fulfilled.

In a separate legal matter, a Delhi court granted anticipatory bail to a woman accused of involvement in a heroin supply case. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai ruled that there was insufficient incriminating evidence linking the woman to the drug trade, noting that the prosecution's reliance on phone calls and small UPI transactions, alongside a co-accused's disclosure statement, did not establish a definitive connection to the alleged supply of 97.63 grams of heroin.