New Delhi, December 25
The Enforcement Directorate is probing the alleged involvement of some Canadian colleges and some Indian institutions in the money laundering case linked to the smuggling of Indians into the US from the Canadian border. This investigation is related to the death of a four-member Indian family living in Dingucha village of Gujarat.
It is worth mentioning that on January 19, 2022, four members of the same family died of extreme cold while trying to cross the Canada-US border illegally. The ED said it has taken cognizance of the Ahmedabad police FIR against Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel, who has emerged as the prime accused in the case, and a complaint under several other criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Patel and others are accused of conspiring to send people (Indians) to the US through illegal channels in Canada, thereby committing the crime of human trafficking.
The agency had earlier found during the investigation that as part of the racket, the accused arranged admissions in Canada-based colleges and universities for people who wanted to go to the US illegally. The agency said in a statement on Tuesday that a Canadian student visa was applied for such people and instead of attending college once they arrived in that country, they “illegally” entered the US-Canada. crossed the border
The ED alleged that “in view of this, the fees received by the Canada-based colleges were remitted to the accounts of the individuals. Indians were lured by the racket and extorted between Rs 55 to 60 lakh per person.
The agency said it conducted fresh searches in the case on December 10 and December 19 at eight locations in Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar and Vadodara. During which it came to light that two units, one in Mumbai and the other in Nagpur, have entered into an agreement for admission of Indians to universities located abroad on commission basis.
The agency said that the latest investigation found that every year around 25,000 students are sent by one institution and more than 10,000 students by others to various colleges located outside India.
According to the report, there are around 1,700 agents/partners located in Gujarat and around 3,500 agents/partners across India, of which around 800 are active.
According to the disclosure, about 112 colleges located in Canada have an agreement with one entity and more than 150 with another institution. However, their involvement in the instant case is being investigated. The agency suspects that some of the total 262 such colleges in Canada, which are geographically located near the Canada-US border, are involved in Indian trafficking. –News-Patiala