An Indian surgeon has altered the appearance of two undocumented Uzbek women to make them resemble local residents in an attempt to help them evade immigration laws. Police in the city of Lucknow arrested Dr Vivek Gupta and his accomplice, Trijinraj, on June 21, as reported by the Hindustan Times.
Authorities accuse the doctor of performing plastic surgery on the two Uzbek nationals, who were staying in India illegally, to disguise their identities. Investigators say he also arranged temporary housing for them through a contact.
Police have charged Gupta and Trijinraj under sections 318(4) (fraud) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. They also face prosecution under the Registration of Foreigners Act of 1939 and the Foreigners Act of 1946.
The women who underwent the surgery were arrested in Golf City, an upscale neighbourhood of Lucknow, according to The Times of India. They told police that a woman named Lola Kayumova, who has been living in India for an extended period, introduced them to the surgeon.
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that the incident is part of a wider human trafficking network.
