Punjab Police Crack Down on Illegal Travel Agents: 25 Booked in Statewide Operation

The Voice of Chandigarh :

In a decisive action aimed at safeguarding aspiring emigrants, the Punjab Police, in collaboration with the Protectorate of Emigrants, have launched a crackdown on illegal travel agents operating within the state. As per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the NRI Affairs Wing and Cyber Crime Wing of the Punjab Police, working alongside the Protectorate of Emigrants, Chandigarh, have booked 25 travel agents for unlawful advertising of employment opportunities abroad on social media platforms.

The operation targeted travel agents who, without the necessary licenses and permissions, were promoting overseas job opportunities on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. These agents, identified as unscrupulous, were found to be misleading potential emigrants—primarily youths—by promising lucrative jobs abroad and subsequently defrauding them of significant sums of money.

ADGP NRI Affairs Praveen K. Sinha stated that the police had conducted covert verification of the agents’ credentials online before filing FIRs against them. A total of 20 FIRs have been registered under sections 24/25 of the Emigration Act across various NRI Police Stations in Punjab, including those in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur, and SAS Nagar.

The crackdown has highlighted the need for vigilance among citizens. ADGP Sinha urged individuals to verify the credentials of travel agents before entrusting them with personal documents and money. He emphasized the importance of engaging only with agencies that possess a valid Recruiting Agent (RA) license under the Emigration Act, 1983, and advised individuals to always request and verify the agency’s license.

List of Booked Illegal Travel Agents:

1. 7 Horses Immigration, Ludhiana
2. Abroad Expert, Ludhiana
3. Abroad Kiva, Ludhiana
4. Pies Immigration, Ludhiana
5. Pass Pro Overseas, Ludhiana
6. Horses Immigration Consultancy, Ludhiana
7. Aaradhya Enterprises, Jalandhar
8. Karson Travel Consultancy, Jalandhar
9. True Deals Immigration Services, Jalandhar
10. I Way Overseas, Jalandhar
11. Videsh Yatra, Jalandhar
12. Gulf Jobs, Kapurthala
13. Rahave Immigration, Amritsar
14. JS Enterprise, Amritsar
15. Power To Fly, Amritsar
16. Travel Manthan, Amritsar
17. Amaze-E-Service, Amritsar
18. RS Enterprises, Hoshiarpur
19. Target Immigration, Hoshiarpur
20. PS Enterprises, Hoshiarpur
21. Highwings Overseas 7, SAS Nagar
22. PNS Visa Services, SAS Nagar
23. GCC Experts, Patiala
24. Gulf Travel Agency, Dirba, Sangrur
25. Binder BBSG Immigration, Dirba, Sangrur