Indian youth held captive in Iran, Seechewal tells Parl

During the ongoing winter session of parliament, Rajya Sabha Member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal raised the issue of Indian youths being kidnapped in Gulf countries and held for ransom. In a written question submitted to the External Affairs Minister, Sant Seechewal stated that several families from the Majha and Doaba regions had approached him with distressing accounts: travel agents lure young people abroad with promises of high-paying jobs, but once they reach the destination, they are kidnapped and subjected to inhuman torture. Many of these youths are coerced into making objectionable videos, which are then used to blackmail their parents.

Sant Seechewal asked the Ministry of External Affairs whether the government is aware that Indian youths are being trapped with false job offers in Iraq, Iran and other Gulf nations, and later held captive by human trafficking networks. He also questioned what action the government plans to take against such fraudulent travel agents.

Responding to this written question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said that social media platforms are often used to mislead youth with fake overseas job offers. He emphasised that the ministry takes immediate action upon receiving such complaints.

The minister further explained that under the Immigration Act of 1983, no travel agent is permitted to operate without obtaining a valid licence. Strict action is taken against agents who violate these regulations. As part of its awareness campaigns conducted through social media and other channels, the ministry has identified and listed a total of 3,505 unregistered agents on the e-Migrate portal across the country up to October 2025. The ministry continues to educate people about safe and legal migration through the e-Migrate system and will keep working to spread awareness in the future as well.