PunjabENews

Category: Edu / Immi

  • Mother-daughter duped Punjab families of lakhs with fake Canada marriage promises, proxy engagements

    Mother-daughter duped Punjab families of lakhs with fake Canada marriage promises, proxy engagements

    Chandigarh: A shocking case of cheating has come to light in Punjab’s Khanna district, where a mother-daughter duo allegedly duped families of more than seven young men of millions on the pretext of marriage and settlement in Canada.

    According to police, the accused, Sukhdarshan Kaur, a resident of Ludhiana, and her daughter Harpreet alias Harry, who lives in Canada, targeted victims through wedding advertisements in newspapers and local matchmakers.

    The accused would lure men wanting to settle in Canada by fixing engagements with Harpreet, using video calls or her photos.

    Police said after the engagement rituals, Sukhdarshan demanded money from the victims’ families, claiming poverty and loans taken to send Harpreet abroad. Believing the marriage was confirmed, families paid large sums without suspicion.

    Sitting in Canada, Harpreet allegedly continued to demand money from the victims for medicines, rent, and college fees, before cutting off contact or indefinitely postponing the wedding.

    The scam was exposed after a wrong WhatsApp message alerted one of the victims, leading to a police complaint.

    The police have arrested Sukhdarshan, her son, and the son’s accomplice. A lookout circular is being issued against Harpreet in Canada, police said.

  • CBI secures extradition of 134 fugitives from abroad in five years

    CBI secures extradition of 134 fugitives from abroad in five years

    New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought back 134 fugitives from abroad in the last five years, nearly double the number repatriated during the entire decade from 2010 to 2019, officials said.

    Working closely with Interpol and central and state enforcement agencies, the CBI has secured the extradition or deportation of these fugitives since 2020, including 23 who have been brought back so far this year.

    In comparison, only 74 fugitives were brought back between 2010 and 2019. Officials attributed the rise in successful repatriations to enhanced diplomatic activities, India’s outreach through VVIP visits, improved bilateral ties, technological advancements, and better coordination with Interpol.

    Extradition typically involves the issuance of a red notice by Interpol, locating the fugitive, and completing legal and diplomatic processes, all of which are time-consuming.

    In January, the CBI launched its digital portal BharatPol to reduce the time taken by Interpol to issue red notices. The portal, developed internally, connects Indian police agencies with Interpol and alerts all 195 member countries about fugitives wanted in India.

    “The portal has ensured better documentation, which used to take a lot of time,” an official said.

    A recent breakthrough under this coordinated effort was the arrest of Nehal Modi in the US. Nehal, the brother of Nirav Modi, who is currently in the UK, is lodged in the US and awaiting extradition.

    Nirav Modi, along with his uncle Mehul Choksi, is accused of defrauding the Punjab National Bank of Rs 13,000 crore through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking.

  • End of visa sticker: UK government begins rollout of eVisas for students and workers

    End of visa sticker: UK government begins rollout of eVisas for students and workers

    London: The UK government is replacing physical immigration documents for most student and worker visas with digital proof of immigration status, known as an eVisa.

    An eVisa is an online record of a person’s immigration permission in the UK, including any conditions attached, and can be accessed by creating a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.

    Officials said the shift to eVisas is part of an enhanced border and immigration system aimed at making the visa process more secure and streamlined. Millions of people have already used eVisas under select immigration routes.

    “These changes to the UK visa system will make it much simpler for students and workers to prove their identity and visa status. It also means applicants can hold onto their passports, saving them time,” British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said.

    The move to eVisas will not affect anyone’s immigration status or the conditions of their permission to enter or stay in the UK.

    The rollout will cover main applicants for student visas, including short-term study for 11 months, as well as various work routes such as Global Talent, Skilled Worker, International Sportsperson, and Youth Mobility Scheme.

    Several Global Business Mobility routes, including Senior or Specialist Worker and Graduate Trainee, are also included.

    Holders will be able to link their passport to their UKVI account, allowing for easier travel, and can use the online “view and prove” service to securely share their status with employers or landlords in England.

    Dependants and those applying for visas outside of study or work, such as general visitor visas, will continue to receive physical visa stickers. People with existing, valid physical visa stickers do not need to take any action.

    The UK government plans to eventually extend eVisas to all visa routes, moving towards a fully digital, secure, and simplified system for all visa customers.

  • Odisha student dies after setting herself on fire over alleged sexual harassment

    Odisha student dies after setting herself on fire over alleged sexual harassment

    Bhubaneswar: A second-year integrated B.Ed. student from Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, Odisha, who set herself on fire after allegedly being sexually harassed by a professor, died while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Monday.

    The student, who suffered 95 per cent burns, had taken the extreme step on Saturday after alleged inaction against the professor.

    She was initially admitted to Balasore district hospital before being shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she was undergoing treatment in the ICU of the burn centre.

    Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi condoled the death and said all those involved in the case would face the strictest punishment under the law. The student had remained in critical condition for three days before she succumbed to her injuries.

  • US embassy warns Indian visa holders to follow immigration rules or face deportation

    US embassy warns Indian visa holders to follow immigration rules or face deportation

    Washington: The US Embassy in India has warned Indian citizens holding US visas to strictly adhere to prescribed immigration rules, cautioning that failure to comply could lead to visa cancellation and deportation.

    In a post on social media platform X, the embassy said, “Visa screening does not stop after the visa is issued. We constantly screen visa holders to ensure that they comply with all U.S. laws and immigration regulations. If they don’t, we will cancel their visas and deport them.”

    Earlier, the US had made it mandatory for visa applicants to submit details of their social media accounts.

    The advisory aims to examine applicants’ online activity for any content or considerations that may violate US laws.

  • ED conducts fresh raids in Punjab and Haryana in Dunky Route case probe

    ED conducts fresh raids in Punjab and Haryana in Dunky Route case probe

    New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday launched fresh search operations in Punjab and Haryana as part of its money laundering probe linked to the Dunky Route case, which involves illegal Indian immigrants deported by the US this year.

    According to official sources, the raids are being carried out at seven locations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Mansa (Punjab) and Kurukshetra and Karnal (Haryana).

    The latest searches are based on credible inputs collected during the first round of raids conducted at 11 locations in the two states on July 9, the sources said.

    Following the July 9 searches, the central probe agency said it had recovered 30 genuine passports and obtained the names of several agents and immigration agencies allegedly involved in running the “dunky route” racket to illegally send Indians abroad on a large scale.

  • ED raids multiple locations in Punjab, Haryana in crackdown on illegal ‘Dunki route’ immigration racket

    ED raids multiple locations in Punjab, Haryana in crackdown on illegal ‘Dunki route’ immigration racket

    New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted raids at 11 locations across Punjab and Haryana as part of its crackdown on illegal immigration through the ‘Dunki route’, officials said.

    The searches were carried out in Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala, Ambala and Karnal based on 17 FIRs related to human trafficking cases.

    According to officials, the raids were conducted by the Jalandhar unit of the ED and continued throughout the day. A detailed statement will be shared after the raids are completed, the agency said.

    This is not the first time the ED has acted against the ‘Dunki route’ network in the region. Previous raids have led to the seizure of documents from several suspects. Wednesday’s operation aimed to connect leads gathered in earlier investigations, officials added.

    The racket came to light after statements of illegal immigrants deported from the United States were recorded. Those deported said they paid hefty sums to agents to undertake the risky journey abroad. Based on their statements, several brokers and agents were identified.

    The ED has launched a money laundering investigation in the case and has so far identified several suspected agents linked to the racket. During Wednesday’s raids, documents, cash and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the accused.

    Officials said the network is particularly active in rural areas of Punjab and Haryana, exploiting unemployment and luring people with promises of a better life abroad. The ED said the investigation aims to dismantle the illegal immigration network and bring those involved to justice.

  • Monica Kapoor to be extradited to India after 25 years in US over fraud charges

    Monica Kapoor to be extradited to India after 25 years in US over fraud charges

    New Delhi: The CBI has taken alleged economic offender Monica Kapoor into custody in the US and is bringing her back to India after nearly two-and-a-half decades on the run, officials said on Tuesday.

    Kapoor, who moved to the US in 1999 after the alleged fraud, is being brought back on an American Airlines flight expected to arrive on Wednesday night, they added.

    Her extradition was approved by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under the bilateral extradition treaty between India and the US. The external affairs ministry had earlier rejected Kapoor’s claim that she would face harassment upon returning to India.

    Kapoor, along with her two brothers, is accused of preparing fake documents for their jewellery business to obtain a licence for tax-free import of raw materials from the Indian government. The alleged fraud caused a loss of over USD 679,000 to the Indian exchequer.

    India had formally sought Kapoor’s extradition from the US in October 2010 under the extradition treaty between the two countries.

  • French to be introduced in Haryana government schools from next academic session

    French to be introduced in Haryana government schools from next academic session

    Bhiwani: French will be taught in government schools of Haryana from the next academic session, with the Directorate of School Education intensifying preparations to roll out the foreign language programme.

    The School Education Department, in collaboration with the Embassy of France and the Institut Français en Inde (IFI), will introduce French in selected schools across the state.

    Teachers interested in teaching French are being shortlisted through an ongoing selection process. Candidates who had submitted their Expression of Interest (EOI) through a short video and a written essay by June 28 have been evaluated, and eligible teachers have been listed in Annexure-A for the next round.

    An online eligibility assessment will now be conducted in Round 2 for the shortlisted candidates, following which the selected teachers will teach French in government schools.

    The Assistant Director (Academic) from the Office of the Director of Secondary Education, Haryana has issued a letter regarding this to the Gurugram SCRT Director, all District Education Officers (DEOs) and DIET Principals across the state, outlining the steps to implement the French language programme effectively.

  • NIA arrests two for trafficking people to US via ‘dunki’ route

    NIA arrests two for trafficking people to US via ‘dunki’ route

    New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two key individuals involved in trafficking people to the United States using the notorious ‘dunki’ route, officials said on Saturday.

    The arrests were made on Friday after searches at locations in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. The accused have been identified as Sunny alias Sunny Donkar, a resident of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, and Shubham Sandhal alias Deep Hundi, a resident of Punjab’s Ropar district who was currently living in Peeragarhi, outer Delhi, the NIA said in a statement.

    According to the agency, both are associates of Gagandeep Singh alias Goldy, who was arrested in March after a victim filed a complaint alleging human trafficking through the ‘dunki’ route. The victim had been deported from the US to India in February.

    On June 27, the NIA filed a chargesheet against Gagandeep Singh, a resident of Tilak Nagar in New Delhi, in the case. The investigation revealed that Gagandeep was charging around Rs 45 lakh from each passenger, promising to send them to the US with a valid visa but instead sending them illegally through the ‘dunki’ route.

    The trafficked individuals were taken on a risky journey through multiple countries, including Spain, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama and Mexico, before reaching the United States, the NIA said.