Local firms involved in more than 100 complaints from region
Chandigarh, August 14
Names of local immigration companies featuring in more than 100 complaints from different parts of the region has underlined the fact that immigration companies, under the garb of “consultancies”, have shifted their base to the city and Mohali from different parts of Punjab during the recent past.
At least four local firms coming on the police radar for faking documents to facilitate illegal immigration, during the past one week alone, is just a tip of the iceberg, showcasing rampant public indulgence in wishing to travel abroad which is being cashed in on by the immigration firms.
In fact, cases of fraud have come to light following a letter from the British Commission to the concerned police heads. A senior officer from Punjab said “The Embassy had rejected the cases under question with a clear note that the rejected cases could not apply for travelling to the UK for the next 10 years”.
While the police is proceeding against the Healthyway Immigration Consultancy, Sector 42, here, following raids yesterday, names of three more local agents are under the scanner of the intelligence agencies.
The bulk of the duped people belong to different parts of the region, mainly Punjab. Police sources confirmed that in an important shift, against the traditional rush from the Doaba belt, it was now people from the Malwa who topped the list constituting 80 per cent of the victims.
More than 30 cases of fraud have been registered in the UT alone this year so far. Chandigarh SSP Naunihal Singh said the number would cross the 100 mark as “there are several complaints pending.” Besides the Healthyway, we are waiting for official letter on the three other reported cases and shall proceed accordingly”, he added.
Sanjiv Gupta, ADGP (Crime), Punjab, confirmed an unspecified but a sizable number of cases under investigation. Gaurav Yadav, Commissioner (Jalandhar division), said “Following complaints, we had recently carried out a string of sting operations.” Rajpal Sandhu, SP (Jalandhar II), said the “agents were acting like consultants and befooled people when they came for seminars. In three different cases in Jalandhar, recently, the police has arrested four agents. More search operations are underway”.
Talking to The Tribune, Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Karheri village in Patiala district, said “I paid a Rs 66,000 to the company out of which the company charged Rs 48,000 as the consultancy fees. I had to show Rs 11 lakh in my fixed deposit account. I was asked to visit a bank in Rajpura for documentation of the FD which the company manager said was managed. This was followed by a rejection letter from the British Embassy and the Chandigarh Police calling us for questioning. I have submitted an affidavit speaking about the fraud.”
Mandeep Singh, a resident of Dhuri in Sangrur district, said “My wife Rubaljit Kaur’s case has been rejected with a clear instruction that we would not be considered for the next 10 years.”
Chandigarh, August 14
Names of local immigration companies featuring in more than 100 complaints from different parts of the region has underlined the fact that immigration companies, under the garb of “consultancies”, have shifted their base to the city and Mohali from different parts of Punjab during the recent past.
At least four local firms coming on the police radar for faking documents to facilitate illegal immigration, during the past one week alone, is just a tip of the iceberg, showcasing rampant public indulgence in wishing to travel abroad which is being cashed in on by the immigration firms.
In fact, cases of fraud have come to light following a letter from the British Commission to the concerned police heads. A senior officer from Punjab said “The Embassy had rejected the cases under question with a clear note that the rejected cases could not apply for travelling to the UK for the next 10 years”.
While the police is proceeding against the Healthyway Immigration Consultancy, Sector 42, here, following raids yesterday, names of three more local agents are under the scanner of the intelligence agencies.
The bulk of the duped people belong to different parts of the region, mainly Punjab. Police sources confirmed that in an important shift, against the traditional rush from the Doaba belt, it was now people from the Malwa who topped the list constituting 80 per cent of the victims.
More than 30 cases of fraud have been registered in the UT alone this year so far. Chandigarh SSP Naunihal Singh said the number would cross the 100 mark as “there are several complaints pending.” Besides the Healthyway, we are waiting for official letter on the three other reported cases and shall proceed accordingly”, he added.
Sanjiv Gupta, ADGP (Crime), Punjab, confirmed an unspecified but a sizable number of cases under investigation. Gaurav Yadav, Commissioner (Jalandhar division), said “Following complaints, we had recently carried out a string of sting operations.” Rajpal Sandhu, SP (Jalandhar II), said the “agents were acting like consultants and befooled people when they came for seminars. In three different cases in Jalandhar, recently, the police has arrested four agents. More search operations are underway”.
Talking to The Tribune, Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Karheri village in Patiala district, said “I paid a Rs 66,000 to the company out of which the company charged Rs 48,000 as the consultancy fees. I had to show Rs 11 lakh in my fixed deposit account. I was asked to visit a bank in Rajpura for documentation of the FD which the company manager said was managed. This was followed by a rejection letter from the British Embassy and the Chandigarh Police calling us for questioning. I have submitted an affidavit speaking about the fraud.”
Mandeep Singh, a resident of Dhuri in Sangrur district, said “My wife Rubaljit Kaur’s case has been rejected with a clear instruction that we would not be considered for the next 10 years.”
