Promised jobs in Spain, sent to Thailand. Then came ‘Khan Baba’ call

Manpreet Singh, 24, and Kulraj Singh, 27, were promised jobs in Spain's hospitality industry by a local travel agent in Punjab, India. The agent claimed they could pay as they earned in Spain. However, both men ended up in Thailand instead. They claim they have been contacted by a man named "Khan Baba," who demanded Rs 15 lakh each for their release.

Manpreet's family managed to pay the ransom, while Kulraj's family could only pay Rs 8 lakh, leading to his arrest. This is not the only case; similar incidents involving young men from Punjab have emerged in the last 11 months. The victims, mostly from modest backgrounds, were lured by different agents promising jobs in Spain, Australia, South Korea, and other countries. All the families allege they received calls from "Khan Baba."