THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
The case involving Ms Alka Rani, a resident of Leicester, and her minor British citizen son has raised serious concern within the Punjabi community in the United Kingdom. The mother and child are currently facing distressing circumstances in Hoshiarpur, Punjab following police action.
Ms Alka Rani travelled to India with her son during the Easter holidays to visit family members. Their return flight to the United Kingdom is already booked for 25 April.
Other members of the family had also travelled from the United Kingdom for the same visit. Ms Alka Rani’s brother and his family, who travelled from Bristol in the UK, are also currently in Hoshiarpur to spend time with relatives.
According to information received by community representatives, Ms Alka Rani’s brother-in-law, Mr Yogesh Arora, a journalist with PTC News, was called to Model Town Police Station in Hoshiarpur on the evening of 17 April 2026. Police officers later arrived at the residence where Ms Alka Rani was staying with her sister and brother-in-law and took Ms Alka Rani and her minor son to the police station.
According to the family, both were kept sitting at the police station for several hours. At the time, the child was suffering from a high fever of approximately 103°F, which caused significant concern for the family.
Following the incident, FIR No. 47 was registered at Model Town Police Station in Hoshiarpur under allegations relating to the sale of alcohol, and Ms Alka Rani’s name was also included in the case. Family members and community representatives state that the case appears to be false and fabricated, as Ms Alka Rani has no connection with the alleged offence and was merely present at the residence while visiting relatives.
The Indian Workers Association (Great Britain) stated that Ms Alka Rani’s passport and personal belongings were also taken into police possession. These reportedly include approximately £5,500 in cash, ₹350,000 in Indian currency and gold jewellery.
In addition, other family funds amounting to approximately ₹4,000,000 (forty lakh rupees) in cash and gold ornaments were also present in the house at the time, as the family had been negotiating the purchase of a small house for their mother in Hoshiarpur.
Community representatives have expressed concern that it is difficult to understand how a visiting family member could be included in such a case simply for being present at the residence.
Fortunately, Ms Alka Rani’s brother and his family from Bristol were not present at the house at the time of the police visit. Otherwise, it is possible they too could have been drawn into the case, resulting in another NRI family facing unnecessary distress.
Sital Singh Gill, General Secretary of the Indian Workers Association (Great Britain), said the organisation has raised the matter with Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom, Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in India, ministers of the Punjab Government and senior officials, requesting urgent intervention.
Letters regarding the matter have also been sent to the UK Foreign Secretary, the British High Commission in India, the Chief Minister of Punjab, the Director General of Police Punjab and other relevant authorities.
The Indian Workers Association has requested that if there is no evidence against Ms Alka Rani, her name should be removed from the case and her passport and personal belongings — including British currency, Indian currency and gold jewellery — should be returned immediately so that she can safely return to the United Kingdom with her British citizen child.
