Crackdown on illegal immigration network, DC forms special panel

The district administration has launched a crackdown on the illegal immigration network in Ludhiana in a bid to avert more youth falling in the trap of such agents and check the rising immigration business.

Taking cue from the recent horror faced by Punjabi youth who were deported from the US on the charge of illegal migrants as part of the Donald Trump regime’s latest crackdown, Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal has formed a special panel to conduct raids and check the working of all those involved directly or indirectly in the immigration business across the district.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) concerned will head the five-member committees in their respective sub-divisions, which will comprise the ACP/ DSP, District Industries Centre General Manager, Assistant Labour Commissioner and the tehsildar/naib tehsildar concerned.

These panels will conduct checks at all travel agents across Ludhiana, the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population, and submit fact-finding reports within a week.

Jorwal told The Tribune that there were 1,692 registered immigration centres in the district but there were reports that certain unregistered/ illegal firms were also operating as travel agents in Ludhiana.

The DC issues travel agent licences to consultancy firms, IELTS centres, travel agents, ticketing agents and general sales agents under the provisions of the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act and the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act, 2012.

“We have been receiving complaints regarding illegal immigration network, following which we have launched a crackdown to check and act against all those operating without mandatory registration and legal provisions,” he said.

The DC has invoked provisions of the advisory issued by the Secretary, Home Affairs and Justice, on May 14, 2018, which specified that under Section 10 of the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act and the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act, 2012, any executive magistrate, SDM or gazetted police officer (DSP/ ACP) can carry out searches of premises of travel agents and such inspections should be carried out on a regular basis.

Jorwal has directed all SDMs to conduct raids at all establishments involved in the immigration business directly or indirectly and send him action-taken reports within a week.

“Following the receipt of the reports from the SDMs, we will act tough against all those found operating illegally and sans mandatory registrations,” the DC asserted while adding that the administration has adopted a zero tolerance approach towards the illegal immigration network.

Pertinently, the Punjab Police had on Friday constituted a four-member fact-finding committee/special investigation team (SIT) to investigate illegal human trafficking and migration in the state.

Additional Director General of Police (NRI affairs) Praveen Sinha will head the committee with ADGP (internal security) Shive Kumar Verma, IGP (provisioning) Dr S Boopathi and DIG (border range) Satinder Singh as its members.

“The SIT will focus on identifying individuals involved in such illegal activities and ensuring they are held accountable for their actions,” Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav had said while directing the SIT to take appropriate action as per law and facts.

“The committee has been empowered to co-opt any other police officer in the inquiry/investigation. They will maintain coordination with the senior superintendents of police/commissioners of police concerned, who have been directed to provide all required assistance and infrastructural facilities to the committee,” the DGP had stated while adding that this collaborative effort was aimed at ensuring a comprehensive and effective investigation into illegal migration.

Among 30 Punjab deportees, only one young girl hailed from Jagraon in Ludhiana, who had crossed over to the US through Mexico while having a valid UK visa while a maximum of 14 hailed from the Doaba region.

Zero tolerance for illegal businesses

“Following the receipt of reports from the SDMs, we will act tough against all those found operating illegally and sans mandatory registrations,” the DC asserted while adding that the district administration has adopted a zero tolerance approach towards the illegal immigration network.