Investigation into the horrifying death of the family of four from Gujarat while trying to illegally gain entry into the US through the Canadian border last month has laid bare the schemings and workings of an intrinsic five-tiered layer chain of human trafficking. And Vibes of India, which has been bringing you exclusive details about the case and the deeply-embedded web of this unholy nexus in Gujarat, has now identified at least three agents who have made it their business to dupe unsuspecting people who dream of living the big American dream. These agents often take unnecessary risks to make big bucks. As was the case with the Patel family who froze to death while crossing the US-Canada border last month.
According to our investigation and information gathered from various sources, including the police, three agents – Mahesh Shah, Rutvik Vijay Parekh, Devam Gopal Brahmbhatt – were almost successful in trapping another family but ran out of luck.
Interestingly, these agents are also from the same taluka, Kalol, from where the Patels had been lured for entry into America.
Apparently, a petty dispute over $13000 has exposed these agents and Vibes of India, with help of Gujarat Police, has been able to weave this story that is a chilling account of a dirty and dangerous human immigration scam. The agents, when they talk to each other, refer to individuals they are smuggling as “packets or parcels”, sources told Vo!.
Read More : Dingucha: Where Death Is More Lucrative Than Life
This story is of two such packets that were taken to Delhi from Ahmedabad. But, an argument probably saved their lives. Short of a typical Bollywood blockbuster, there was a gun fired too.
The beginning
The names of the ‘parcels’ are Vishal Patel and his wife Rupali. It all began when Vishal’s uncle Vishnubhai was approached by the latter’s long-time friend Mahesh Vyas. Vyas told Vishnubhai that he knew about the fact that both Vishal and Rupali’s immigration files were pending clearance. “Do we want to facilitate it?” Vyas asked Vishnubhai. Scared of being involved in a scam, Vishnubhai declined the offer.
However. Surprisingly, Vyas came back after a few days and made the same offer. According to Vishnubhai’s statement to the Gujarat police, he said, “Maheshbhai is a good friend of mine. First, I denied that there were any immigration files awaiting clearance, but then Maheshbhai convinced me that he knew some people who would take up the matter.”
“They are very powerful people and can bring immediate solutions”, Vishnubhai was assured. Thereafter, on January 18, 2022, Vyas told Vishnubhai that two ‘important people’ will come to meet him. The ones who visited Vishnubhai were Rutvik Vijay Parekh and Devam Gopal Brahmbhatt. Both of them like very seasoned immigration consultants, studied the file for about 20 minutes.
Later a deal was struck.
These are the details of the deal:
*Vishal and Rupali will be sent to America and will reach there safely in less than 90 days from that day (January 18, 2022)
* The cost of the entire deal will be $147,000
* This will include economy airfare, food and woollen clothes.
* No money should be transacted till the parcels move out.
* Once the parcels land, the first installment of $13,000 should be given to Rutvik or Dev within 15 minutes of the call where the parcels will confirm their landing.
* Interestingly, $50,000 should be given to the agent only after 48 hours that the couple settles in America.
* The remaining $50,000 should be given within 100 days of the couple settling in America.
According to Vishnubhai, the agents told him that there was nothing to worry about. Vishal and Rupali will even enjoy good company and food of other Indians, he was assured. “We send people in groups only so it is more fun, exciting and assuring,” the agent reportedly told Vishnubhai.
Like in the case of the Digucha family, they, too, were a group of 11. Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishali, daughter Vihangi and son Dharmik had gotten separated from a group during a stormy night while crossing the border on foot. They apparently got lost and froze to death in minus 35 degrees Celsius weather.
In this case also, the agents said there would be groups.
But that was not the case.
First, the agents said the domestic flight ticket from Ahmedabad to Delhi will be delivered on January 23, 2022. They should keep all their luggage ready. They will fly from Ahmedabad to Delhi and board the Delhi-America flight soon after transit formalities are done.
· But the tickets did not arrive on January 23. “There is some issue. Now the group will leave on January 27,” Vishnubhai was told they will get the tickets and a call from Delhi confirming the same. It could be any day and the couple should be ready to fly whichever day they are asked to. The final date was given as February 4.
· A top source has told Vibes of India that the delay in Vishal and Rupali’s departure was because of the world’s attention on the Patel family’s death. Our sources told us that all the “parcels’ departures” were completely stopped after the Patels’ deaths on the Canada-America border. At that point in time, Jagdish Patel and his family’s identity was not known to the Canadian or American agencies. They belonged to Dingucha village in Kalol Taluka of Gandhinagar. Vishal and Rupali are also from Kalol Taluka only.
· All parcel movements, that is no human trafficking, was done from all the groups till February 4, 2022, from Delhi. If Gujarat police were to investigate the number of cancellations made on January 23, January 27 and till January 31, they will get a list of at least 40 people who, our sources claim, were going as “parcels” as part of the human trafficking scam.
Vibes of India is in possession of the addresses, emails and contact numbers of Rutvik and Dev and their neighbours. When we approached them, their neighbours said that both were “very decent businessmen with flashy lifestyles”. They said they had no idea that they were in the business of human trafficking.
What went wrong this time?
Vishnubhai got a call that Vishal and Rupali should leave by a night flight to Delhi on February 4 and that they will be boarding a commercial flight to Delhi within the next three hours.
Destiny had some other plans. Vishnubhai got a call at 4.45 m on February 4 that Vishal and Rupali should reach Ahmedabad Airport no later than six pm to board a flight to Delhi. Now, the distance between Kalol and Ahmedabad International Airport is 24.2 kilometres and it takes a minimum of an hour during peak traffic hours. Worse, VIshnubhai did not have a car. Rutvik Parekh got a Honda Amaze car (number GJ 23C-A8491) to pick up the parcels. It was already 6 pm then. The couple had been instructed not to carry much luggage. There was space in the car so Vishnubhai, their 50-year-old uncle, also joined in to bid farewell to his nephew and his wife thinking that since they are going as illegal citizens, he may not see them again in his lifetime!
The other agent Devam Brahmbhatt was waiting for tickets for them at the airport. Interestingly, Devam is also an important part in the five layer chain. He also flew to Delhi with the couple. Rutvik offered to drop the uncle back at his house in Kalol. Then from Gandhinagar towards Kalol, according to Vishnubhai, Rutvik called up someone saying that “We have reached NC Desai Petrol Pump. You join us here”.
According to Vishnubhai, Rutvik again called and gave his car details. In less than 15 minutes, three people came on a two-wheeler (Activa like vehicle, according to Vishnbhai). One of them wished Rutvik and Rutvik addressed him as “Ryan or Rayan” according to Vishnubhai.
Ryan sat in the car. The other two followed the car to Vishnubhai’s house. Vishnubhai claims that these four people stayed at his house for 45 minutes and kept on demanding $13000 from Vishnubhai. Vishnubhai showed them the money but said as per the agreement, he was supposed to give the money after the parcels landed in America. Rutvik first claimed that it was a misunderstanding. They had already spent on Ahmedabad-Delhi and other tickets and he was supposed to give the money once the parcels landed in Delhi.
This argument, according to Vishnubhai, started getting more intense with his three other friends also joining in. “They started threatening to kill me”, claims Vishnubhai who refused to part with the money. According to Vishnubhai then, Ryan got really aggressive, took out a pistol or a revolver and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t give them the money.
When he refused, Ryan shot at him but, Vishnubhai told the police, that he smartly moved and the bullet missed his leg during the time which he started shouting loudly for help. His neighbors rushed in. Rutvik’s friends escaped on the two-wheeler but Vishnubhai and his neighbours managed to catch Rutvik while he was trying to get into the car.
Vishnubhai reported the matter to the police and kept calling Vishal’s phone but it was switched off. Soon after landing, Vishal, seeing the missed call messages, called up his uncle who told him the entire ordeal. He asked Vishal and Rupal to forget about their American dream and come back on the first flight. The couple reached Ahmedabad Saturday morning.
The local policeman was smart enough to realise that this was not a simple case of cheating and threatening to kill. He informed his higher ups and now police complaints have been filed under section 307,34 ns, 25 (1-b)27 (2)ns under the Indian Penal Code.(IPC). Understanding the seriousness of the case, the investigations have been given to the Special Operations Group(SOG) instead of the local police.
VibesofIndia(Vo!) went to Devam Brahmbhatt and Rutvik Parekh’s homes but were not allowed entry. Both the agents, according to exclusive pictures available with Vo!, do not look older than 28 years.
This story will be updated as we get more information.
