That's what happened to more than 70 young men from Gujarat who left home in batches, two months to a year ago. Today, they are all doing time in jail houses in Texas. All except Narsinhbhai Patel, who was deported and whose body was found in Vadodara two days after he landed in Mumbai.

In his pocket, the police found a list of 32 names, addresses and telephone numbers. Names and numbers that reveal the deceit and desperation that was involved in this often told story.

Preliminary investigation revealed that most of those on the list had left for the US in the past year. However, before the investigation couldprogress, the officer handling the case was transferred in a routine action.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) P K Velera said they were waiting for Patel's relatives to come back from Mehsana, where they had taken the body for cremation. ``The probe will take some time'', he said.

On further probing, The Indian Express discovered that those named in Patel's list were only a few of the people behind bars in America. Their families know it, but had been keeping quiet because the men had gone via the ``number two route'', on fake, forged documents. They are still reluctant to come out with details.

Pappubhai Rajnikant, a pan vendor in Anand, went to the US through an Ahmedabad-based travel agent six months ago. His brother, Jayesh Rajnikant, says, ``He (agent) had demanded Rs nine lakh. We paid him Rs 1.75 lakh and it was decided that the balance would be paid after Pappu reached the US.''

Within a week, Jayesh got a letter from Pappu, saying that he had been arrested and lodged in Mansfieldprison. ``He has written that there are 70 Gujaratis in the prison''.

Kapila Patel of Jordang village in Mehsana received a similar letter on March 5 from her son Vishnubhai, a former factory worker, who is currently lodged in Mansfield Prison. He wrote that he had been caught with some other Gujaratis ``from a ship''. Kapila said the agent had demanded Rs nine lakh and they had already paid Rs 1.5 lakh.

Narottambhai Patel's relative Hansmukh Kalidas Patel of Bhavpura village in Kalol taluka of Mehsana district is also in the Dallas jail for the last five months. Twenty-five-year-old Hansmukh, who is educated up to the ninth standard only, was sold a dream for Rs 8.5 lakh. He raised the money by borrowing from friends. ``Now, he will have to sell out his land to repay the debt,'' remarks Narottam.

The case is similar with others. Popatlal Patel of Mumbai said his brother-in-law Girish Patel had asked for Rs 7 lakh to go to America. Popatlal did not give him the money, but Girish raised it by himself andpaid an agent in Mehsana three months ago. Girish also landed in jail.

Champaben of Kantha village in Kalol taluka of Mehsana borrowed Rs 10 lakh from relatives to send her 20-year-old son Mukesh. Her brother, who is in the US, recently informed her that Mukesh had been jailed for travelling on forged documents.

Vithalbhai of Dingucha village asks for help in freeing his brother Mahendrabhai Govindlal Prajapati. ``His case number is A 76984322,'' he says. Prajapati was a factory worker before he went to the US, along with two friends six months ago. All three are in jail.

While most of the families could not recall the names of the agent, those who could, mentioned two names: Amrish Patel of Ahmedabad and Dashrath of Mehsana. While Dashrath could not be contacted, Patel denied he had sent anyone. ``I am not in this business; I run a transport company called Shreeji Transport,'' he said. But Jayesh Rajnikant and Narottambhai insist that Amrish sent Pappu and Hansmukh to the USA. Popatlal, who namedDashrath, added: ``There are any number of such travel agents in Mehsana.''