Decide on representation against illegal travel agents: HC to Punjab

The Punjab and Haryana high court has asked the Punjab government to decide on a representation seeking action against illegal travel agents duping innocent people by illegally sending them abroad.

A bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Harmeet Singh Grewal passed the direction while disposing of a public interest litigation filed by Mohali resident and advocate Kanwar Pahul Singh on February 17.

The petitioner sought setting up of “emigration check posts” and an upgraded list of “certified recruiting agents”.

The plea was filed in the wake of the deportation of several illegal Indian immigrants from the US recently and sought directions for immediate steps to establish the check posts in all of Punjab under the Emigration Act, 1983, to streamline the procedure of emigration and prevent illegal immigration.

“The incident like the recent major deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the US caused losses of crores of rupees to the people of Punjab,” said the petitioner.

He sought directions for upgrading the list of “certified recruiting agents and permitted employers established outside India” so that people could have an easy access to the emigration process and prevent them from falling victim to fake travel agents.

He sought directions for immediate action against all such fake travel agents operating in the state under the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act to ensure the prevention of human trafficking via “donkey routes”.

The state and the Centre have been directed to consider the representation and take a decision on the matter within 30 days and communicate the same to the petitioner lawyer.

The petitioner said the protector of emigrants in Chandigarh has forwarded a total of 127 complaints over unscrupulous agents to the Punjab government for action in the past year. Of the complaints, 57 were received from victims, he said.

Notably, after the first batch of illegal Indian immigrants were deported from the US on February 5, the Punjab government formed a special investigation team of the Punjab Police to probe the issue of illegal human trafficking. Two more batches of deportees arrived on February 15 and 16.