Kurukshetra: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out a raid at the residence of a visa agent in Kurukshetra district of Haryana in connection with an alleged illegal immigration racket.
According to sources, an ED team reached the house of visa agent Vishal Chawla in Model Town area of Pehowa around 10.30 am in a private vehicle. The premises were locked from inside while the search was underway and no one was allowed to enter. Security personnel were deployed outside the house.
Although the ED team informed the local administration about the raid, no local officials were included in the operation. The agency has so far not shared any details regarding the search or the findings.
Chawla is said to have a network spread across Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and is accused of sending several people abroad. About five months ago, the ED had conducted raids at the premises of two other visa agents in Pehowa and Ismailabad.
The agents are suspected of illegally sending people to the US and other countries through the so-called ‘donkey route’.
In February and November this year, several youths from the district were deported from the United States.
Sources said the ED is likely investigating the amount of money allegedly collected from youths in exchange for facilitating illegal travel to the US.
