As all of us know nowadays western countries, especially the US, are very strict about illegal immigrants., They are sending them back to their countries. But it is a matter of concern who is responsible for this, a person who is giving hard-earned money to travel agents or the agents who are sending them illegally.
Nexus of Travel agents :
The nexus of illegal travel agents and criminals is flourishing in Punjab and across India as well. People are sacrificing everything in their desire to go abroad.
The extent of this nexus can be gauged from the police FIRs.If we will talk about the data then In August and September 2024, 26 FIRs were registered against illegal travel agents, out of which 25 were arrested out of a total of 34 accused.
FIR so Far
In October, a total of 18 new FIRs were registered in NRI police stations under section 24/25 of the Immigration Act, which included Amritsar, SAS Nagar, Ludhiana, and Patiala districts. Of these, 6 FIRs were registered in September and 12 in October.
In the last 6 months, the number of cases registered against illegal travel agents has reached 43. Out of the 104 and (many more to come ) NRIs sent from America to India, 30 are from Punjab alone, who had reached abroad through these illegal travel agents.
104 Indians were Sent Back to India from the US
The first group of 104 Indians sent to India from America in a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft reached Amritsar Airport in Punjab on Wednesday.
The highest number of Punjabis who returned from America were 6 from Kapurthala, 5 from Amritsar, 4 from Jalandhar, and 4 from Patiala.
Still more will be deported back
In the coming time, the number of Indian immigrants being deported from America to India will increase. The main reason for this is the nexus of illegal travel agents spread across the country.
Most of these are being operated illegally in Punjab. Every year, thousands of youth are sent abroad illegally through these illegal travel agents in Punjab. Most of these include people with criminal images. 3,094 illegal travel agents in the country.
The question raised by the Ministery of External Affairs
The Ministry of External Affairs had replied to a question asked by Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal on 28 November 2024 that the number of illegal travel agents across the country was 3,094, which was 2925 till 30 October 2023, at that time the highest number of illegal travel agents in the country were 471 in Andhra Pradesh, 400 in Uttar Pradesh, 360 in Tamil Nadu, 309 in Maharashtra, 292 in Delhi and 190 in Punjab.
On the other hand, if we talk about the records presented in the Punjab Assembly in 2019, then from 17 March 2017 to 10 October 2019, 2,140 criminal cases were registered against illegal travel agents in the state.
Choose the Agent Wisely
As per the statement from Punjab ADGP Praveen Sinha, the police are constantly monitoring these illegal travel agents and taking action against them. ADGP Sinha said that to go abroad, one should contact only those agencies that have a valid Recruitment Agent (RA) license under the Immigration Act, 1983.
All the NRIs of Punjab origin who have returned from America are being verified and sent home. If anyone among them has a criminal record or has fled the country after committing a crime, the police will detain him and take legal action.
On the orders of CM Bhagwant Mann, the police have set up their help desks at the airport to help every citizen of the state returning from America. The police will now search the records of illegal travel agents from these people, who sent them abroad illegally.