Punjab Police have arrested a 65-year-old Jalandhar resident who was lately positioned on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) listing of most-wanted fraudsters for his alleged involvement in a US authorities advantages fraud value round $6,00,000 (roughly ₹5.6 crore).
The accused, Manjit Singh Bedi, fled the US in April this 12 months and reached India by way of Canada to evade authorized proceedings. The FBI had introduced a reward of as much as $1,50,000 ( ₹1.4 crore) for info resulting in his arrest and conviction.
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Bedi’s rip-off with US authorities’s SNAP
Punjab director basic of police Gaurav Yadav mentioned Bedi had been positioned on the FBI’s wished listing in reference to an alleged fraud involving the Supplemental Diet Help Program (SNAP) within the US.
Jalandhar commissioner of police Satinder Singh mentioned Bedi was allegedly working an Asian grocery retailer in Tacoma, Washington, the place clients used government-issued digital profit switch (EBT) playing cards to entry SNAP advantages.
Based on the police, as a substitute of supplying meals gadgets in opposition to the advantages accessible on the playing cards, Bedi allegedly swiped the purchasers’ EBT playing cards, gave them round half of the profit quantity in money and retained the remaining quantity for himself.
Police mentioned the alleged scheme resulted in a lack of roughly $600,000 to the US authorities.
Bedi had reportedly moved to the US in 2019, the place each his sons are settled. After the alleged fraud got here to gentle, US authorities served him a discover in April directing him to seem earlier than the involved courtroom. As a substitute of going through the proceedings, he allegedly left the US and travelled to India by means of Canada.
“The arrest of the accused has led to important progress within the investigation of the case. The police are actually conducting an in-depth investigation into his worldwide journey data, monetary transactions, potential associates and different hyperlinks associated to the alleged fraud dedicated overseas,” the police commissioner mentioned.
Federal arrest warrant issued in Could
Based on the FBI, a federal arrest warrant was issued in opposition to Bedi on Could 21 in a US district courtroom after he was charged with violations of the situations of his supervision.
Bedi had earlier been indicted on allegations of wire fraud and SNAP advantages fraud. He was allowed to stay out of custody whereas showing in courtroom however was ordered to give up his passport and stay inside Washington state.
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In the meantime, Punjab Police mentioned Bedi was not going through any prison case within the state earlier than his title surfaced in reference to a travel-fraud case registered at Rama Mandi police station.
The case has been registered beneath Sections 316(2) (prison breach of belief) and 318(4) (dishonest) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Part 13 of the Punjab Journey Professionals Regulation Act (PTPR Act).
The police commissioner mentioned police have been additionally verifying info acquired from the authorities concerning Bedi’s alleged position and wished standing within the US case.
