Mohali immigration companies duping people
Foreign dreams: 602 fraud cases registered in 5 yrs
Mohali: In the last five years, a total of 602 cases have been registered against immigration companies for duping people. Most of the victims have had to lose a considerable amount of money they may have earned either by selling their properties, working overtime or by taking loans. Inspite of them approaching the police, there is hardly any chance of getting their money back. Cases of people who are left with nothing committing suicide have also come to light.
Last year, Sukhwant Singh, 28, a resident of Sangrur approached an immigration consultant, Rudraksh Group Overseas Solutions in Phase 1. The consultant failed to send Sukhwant abroad. Also, he did not get the Rs 2.5 lakh he paid after taking a loan with a massive rate of interest. Singh committed suicide by consuming poison in the office of the immigration firm in December. A case of abetment to suicide was registered.
According to records with the administration, there are more than 1,100 immigration firms in the district, of which only 32 are registered. Even though the high court has made registration of immigration firms mandatory, more than 80 firms are awaiting approval from the state government. With authorities failing to implement high court orders, unregistered firms continue to play havoc with people's lives.
Last year, Sukhwant Singh, 28, a resident of Sangrur approached an immigration consultant, Rudraksh Group Overseas Solutions in Phase 1. The consultant failed to send Sukhwant abroad. Also, he did not get the Rs 2.5 lakh he paid after taking a loan with a massive rate of interest. Singh committed suicide by consuming poison in the office of the immigration firm in December. A case of abetment to suicide was registered.
According to records with the administration, there are more than 1,100 immigration firms in the district, of which only 32 are registered. Even though the high court has made registration of immigration firms mandatory, more than 80 firms are awaiting approval from the state government. With authorities failing to implement high court orders, unregistered firms continue to play havoc with people's lives.
Take the case of Patiala resident Tarsem Singh, 35, who paid Rs 2.5 lakh to a Sector 70-based immigration firm in 2013-14. He was supposed to go to Dubai, for which he took a loan from relatives. "The firm told me that I got the job of driver and people would come to give me a passport and visa at the Amritsar airport. But no one came and I had to call the police. Even their cell phones were switched off," he said.
Kulwinder Singh from Hoshiarpur approached a phase 7-based immigration firm to go to Saudi Arabia, for which he sold his land for Rs 5 lakh. When he went to collect his visa, the office of the firm was locked and their cell phones were switched off. Jaswinder Singh, a Mohali resident paid Rs 6.4 lakh to go Singapore. But he ended up in Malaysia, where he was thrashed and blackmailed by goons of the immigration firm in 2015.
Sources in the NRI wing said four complaints are received every day on an average but action has not been taken against a single firm so far. All the cases against immigration firms are pending in court or the accused owners are at large. No immigration office has been closed so far.
SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said, "Most people are gullible as they don't understand the procedure of immigration. If they knew, they could apply directly to the embassy or online. Those interested in immigration must ascertain the history of the immigration firm from the police."
Kulwinder Singh from Hoshiarpur approached a phase 7-based immigration firm to go to Saudi Arabia, for which he sold his land for Rs 5 lakh. When he went to collect his visa, the office of the firm was locked and their cell phones were switched off. Jaswinder Singh, a Mohali resident paid Rs 6.4 lakh to go Singapore. But he ended up in Malaysia, where he was thrashed and blackmailed by goons of the immigration firm in 2015.
Sources in the NRI wing said four complaints are received every day on an average but action has not been taken against a single firm so far. All the cases against immigration firms are pending in court or the accused owners are at large. No immigration office has been closed so far.
SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said, "Most people are gullible as they don't understand the procedure of immigration. If they knew, they could apply directly to the embassy or online. Those interested in immigration must ascertain the history of the immigration firm from the police."
Comments
Post a Comment