Police in the Northern Indian state of Punjab have uncovered a marriage scheme involving a mother from India and her Canadian-based daughter, who allegedly targeted young Indian men with the hopes of getting married and moving to Canada. They are alleged to have collected over $200,000 (₹1.60 crore) from several men and their families.
In an interview with OMNI News, Khanna police in Punjab confirmed that Sukhdarshan Kaur has been arrested in the city of Ludhiana, after organizing several fraudulent marriages for her daughter, Harpreet, who lives in Surrey, B.C.
Police allege Sukhdarshan would seek suitors through newspapers and advertisements for daughter, Harpreet, who then posed as a potential bride and spoke with them on a video call. The alleged victims were then promised immediate marriages and Canadian visas after their engagements, but the bride never physically came to India. The supposed weddings would then be delayed or even excused.
Sukhdarshan allegedly asked for money from the groom’s families, explaining she had incurred debt after sending her daughter to Canada. Both women would then begin requesting money, citing student tuition, rent, and medical emergencies. Some families told OMNI News in language that they sold ancestral land or took out large loans to pay the financial demands. They described emotional trauma and financial ruin because of the process.
The Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in a statement said they cannot comment on specific cases due to reasons of privacy and consent.
“In instances of marriage fraud, enforcement action can be taken which include issuing removal orders to a spouse or partner who commits marriage fraud on the basis of misrepresentation. This could in turn lead to their removal from Canada,” IRCC wrote.
“It is a crime for a foreign national to marry a Canadian citizen or permanent resident only to gain entry to Canada.”
In a statement, Surrey Police confirms they have no records of complaints against Harpreet being reported.
“For SPS to investigate the matter, they would need to establish that the incidents occurred in our jurisdiction. Given the anonymity of the internet and the remote location of the victims, that may not be possible.”
OMNI News attempted to contact Harpreet by using a phone number provided by the victims, though, it has been unsuccessful.
Punjab police said they became aware of the scheme after one of the alleged victims, Rajwinder Singh, who already lost over $29,000 (₹18.5 lakhs) received a WhatsApp voice note by mistake. In the voice note, Sukhdarshan, discussed money-related matters and raised Rajwinder’s suspicion, who reported the tip to the police.
Police raided one of the alleged engagements on July 10 and stopped the ceremony, only to find a photograph of Harpreet, without her actual presence. Police then arrested Sukhdarshan, her son, Manpreet Singh, and another suspect, Ashok Kumar.
Inspector Akash Dutt told OMNI News that the investigation revealed transactions of over $200,000 made by several families. Many defrauded families spoke with OMNI News but declined to speak on camera.
Punjab Police have advised families to proceed with caution and thoroughly verify cross-border marriage proposals.
With files from Paramjit Singh, OMNI News
