Exploited by calling relative to America, Indian origin couple found guilty

An Indian-origin Sikh couple has been convicted by a US federal jury of forced labor and exploitation. He is accused of calling the victim to America by making false promises and forcing him to live a life like hell. The court acknowledged that human trafficking is a serious crime.

In Virginia, US, Indian-origin Sikh couple Harmanpreet Singh, 30, and Kulbir Kaur, 43, were found guilty of forcing their relative to work, subjecting them to years of mental and physical abuse, issuing threats and confiscating their relative's immigration documents. Is. The couple ran a gas station and store in North Chesterfield, Virginia, where they forced their relative to work long hours.

He was convicted by a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia after a two-week trial. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that between March 2018 and May 2021, the couple had forced Singh's cousin, who is of Indian origin, to work at their store.

Singh and Kaur had lured the victim, who was a minor at the time, to the US in 2018 with false promises of helping him get admission in school. After he arrived here, they confiscated his immigration documents. The victim was then forced to work as a cashier, prepare food, clean and maintain store records.

According to the allegations against the couple, they subjected their relative to physical abuse, threats and hell-like conditions and forced her to work for long hours at minimum wages.

'Human trafficking is a serious and unacceptable crime'

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division expressed the seriousness of the situation, saying that the couple exploited the victim's trust and her desire to attend school in the United States and used physical and psychological pressure to force her to commit suicide for their own benefit. Can hire for. The Attorney General said human trafficking is a serious and unacceptable crime and this decision should send a clear message that the Justice Department will prosecute human traffickers.

In its decision, the court admitted that the victim was forced to live a life like hell, and the victim was deprived of basic facilities and his activities were continuously monitored with the help of CCTV cameras. Singh also resorted to physical abuse such as pulling the victim's hair, slapping and kicking him when he asked for his immigration documents back.

'Thanks to the prosecution for ensuring justice'

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia condemned the couple's actions, saying forced labor and human trafficking are abhorrent crimes that have no place in our society. He thanked the prosecution for ensuring justice. The sentencing for Singh and Kaur will be announced on May 8. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, up to five years of parole, a fine of up to US$250,000 and payment of restitution for forced labor charges.