New Delhi: Two agents, involved in the trafficking of Indians to the US, using the infamous Donkey or ‘Dunki’ Route, have been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after searches at two locations in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi.
The accused, identified as Sunny @ Sunny Donker of Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh and Shubham Sandhal @ Deep Hundi of Ropar in Punjab and currently residing in Peeragarhi, New Delhi, were associates of Gagandeep Singh @ Goldy, who was arrested earlier in March.
“Gagandeep was arrested on a complaint of a victim who was illegally trafficked to the US using the infamous ‘Dunki’ route and was deported back to India in February this year. NIA had chargesheeted Gagandeep, a resident of Tilak Nagar in New Delhi, in the case RC-04/2025/NIA/DLI on June 27,” the NIA said in a release.
As per NIA investigations, Gagandeep Singh @ Goldy used to take around Rs 45 lakh from each victim on the pretext of sending them to the US on a valid, legal visa. He would then illegally send them on an arduous journey via multiple countries, including Spain, El-Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico. He had sent more than 100 victims illegally to the US in this manner before being arrested.
“Sunny was the main associate/donker of Gagandeep Singh, and played a key role in facilitating the journey of the victims on the donkey route. The victims were physically and mentally harassed on the way by the donkers and agents seeking to make more money. Shubham Sandhal @ Deep Hundi was an important hawala courier operator, involved in transferring funds to donkers in Latin America. Gagandeep used him to transfer part of the money taken from the victims to the donkers based in Latin America,” the NIA has stated.
The agency, which took over the case from Punjab Police on March 13, 2025, is continuing with its investigation to unravel the entire illegal racket and conspiracy.
