ED summons 11 US deportees

Having conducted raids on three immigration firms in Chandigarh and Ludhiana a week ago, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now summoned 11 US deportees to understand the modus operandi used by those involved in the illegal business.

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The deportees have been summoned to the ED’s Jalandhar office from the next week. The agency has already lodged an ECIR on the basis of contents of 19 FIRs lodged by the returnees across the state.

Tracing money trail

They have been summoned to understand the modus operandi used by those involved in the illegal immigration business

The ED will probe the cases under the PMLA and follow the money trail to trace various linkages

It will probe the cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and follow the money trail to trace linkages involved in the network. The deportees have been asked to carry all documents and account details with them.

The officials have already downloaded all FIRs from the police portals. On the basis of the statements of the deportees about the huge amount of money they paid (Rs 45 lakh to Rs 55 lakh), 11 deportees have been summoned in the initial phase. In all, 131 deportees from Punjab have returned via four flights so far.

Sources in the directorate said 10 deportees summoned were from Punjab and one from Haryana. “Our office has selected them on the basis of the amount paid by them to travel agents. Once sufficient information is gathered from them, other deportees can also be summoned,” they added.