Punjab Police raids over 1,200 immigration firms in state; seven travel agents held

Chandigarh: Punjab Police conducted raids and search operations at 1,274 immigration firms across the state to protect the youth aspiring to settle abroad from falling prey to unscrupulous travel agents, officials said on Tuesday.

The massive operation against illegal travel agents was carried out on the directions of Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, simultaneously in all the 28 police districts on Monday, they said.

The development came amid the ongoing crackdown against illegal travel agents across the state in the wake of the recent deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the US.

Many of the deportees from Punjab and Haryana have alleged that they were duped by the travel agents. They claimed despite taking huge sums of money from them and promising legal entry to the US, they were taken to the US through the "donkey route" - illegal and risky pathway used by migrants to enter America.

Meanwhile, Special DGP (Law and Order), Punjab, Arpit Shukla, who was personally monitoring the daylong state-level operation on Monday, said that police teams have registered at least 24 FIRs against unscrupulous travel agents and arrested seven of them.

He said that all the police commissioners and senior superintendents of police were asked to constitute special police teams under the supervision of gazetted officers to carry out searches at all the immigration and travel agent firms in their respective jurisdictions.

"All the CPs/SSPs were directed to ensure strict action against those travel agents, who were found violating the mandatory provisions and procedures of the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act, 2012 or defrauded innocent people with false promises of facilitating entry into foreign countries," said the special DGP.

According to an official statement, as per the provisions of The Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act 2012, all the travel agents are mandated to obtain a licence from the Deputy Commissioner's office, which is valid for five years and renewable for subsequent five-year periods.

Licensed agents are also required to display their licence prominently, maintain records of clients and services, and inform authorities prior to advertising or holding seminars. Additionally, agents are prohibited from engaging in activities beyond their licensed services. Non-compliance can result in suspension or cancellation of the license and legal action.

Shukla said that Punjab DGP Yadav had recently constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Additional DGP, NRI Affairs, Praveen Sinha to investigate complaints from deportees if any and take necessary action as per law.

Shukla exhorted citizens to be cautious and verify travel agents' credentials before entrusting them with documents and money.

"Only engage agencies with a valid licence issued by the Deputy Commissioner under the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act, 2012," he advised.