PUNJAB POLICE’s CRACKDOWN AGAINST ILLEGAL TRAVEL AGENCIES CONTINUES; 18 MORE BOOKED

The Voice of Chandigarh:

Continuing its crackdown against illegal travel agents to protect the youth aspiring to settle abroad, Punjab Police’s NRI Affairs Wing and Cyber Crime Wing in coordination with the Protectorate of Emigrants, Chandigarh, have booked 18 more travel agencies in the State for illegally advertising employment opportunities on social media.

The development came close on the heels of registration of at least 20 first information reports (FIRs) against 25 such illegal travel agencies in the month of August 2024. Now, the tally of booked illegal travel agencies has reached to 43.

Pertinently, Protectorate of Emmigrants had red-flagged the advertising on Instagram and Facebook for jobs in foreign countries by such unscrupulous travel agencies.

ADGP NRI Affairs Praveen K Sinha informed that these unscrupulous travel agencies were advertising jobs abroad on Instagram and Facebook without possessing the requisite license and permissions.

“We checked the online platforms, verified their credentials covertly and registered FIRs against them,” he said, while adding that a total of 18 new FIRs have been registered under sections 24/25 of the Emigration Acts in various NRI Police Stations in the state including at Amritsar, SAS Nagar, Ludhiana and Patiala. Notably, of 18 new FIRs registered, six were registered in September and 12 were registered in month of October.

The ADGP said that of the total 34 accused in these 26 FIRs registered in months of August and September 2024, 25 accused have been arrested. Further investigations are on and notices are being sent to remaining accused travel agents, he said.

ADGP Praveen Sinha exhorted citizens to be cautious and verify travel agents’ credentials before entrusting them with documents and money. “Only engage agencies with a valid Recruiting Agent (RA) license under the Emigration Act, 1983 and always ask for the license of the Agency issued under the said Act. Verify and then trust, should be the working principle while engaging travel agents” he advised.

BOX: NAMES OF ILLEGAL TRAVEL AGENCIES BOOKED SUBSEQUENTLY:

(1) One Point Services, SCO-15, Sec.-115, Kharar, SAS Nagar.

(2) Sai Angel Group, SCF-02, 2nd Floor, Sector-78, SAS Nagar.

(3) Bharat Immigration, Near Sewak Patrol Pump, Amloh, Fatehgarh Sahib.

(4) Mastermind Immigration, Study Visa Consultant, Anandpur Sahib, Rupnagar.

(5) AVP Immigration, Bathinda.

(6) Sky Bridge Immigration, Bathinda.

(7) Getway Immigration, Patiala.

(8) Master Immigration, Rajpura, Patiala.

(9) Humble Immigration, Amritsar.

(10) The Humble Immigration, Ludhiana.

(11) EVAA Immigration, Ludhiana.