The Punjab Police have booked 25 travel agencies across various parts of the state for deceiving youngsters with fake job opportunities abroad.
The Punjab Police’s NRI and Cyber Crime wings, in coordination with the Protectorate of Emigrants, Chandigarh, launched this crackdown on travel agencies for illegally advertising employment opportunities on social media platforms, primarily Instagram and Facebook. These agencies have been accused of luring young people with promises of “guaranteed” jobs in Western countries and Russia, often involving dubious or non-existent documentation processes.
A total of 20 FIRs have been lodged under Sections 24/25 of the Emigration Act at various NRI police stations, including those in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and SAS Nagar. This operation specifically targeted those illegal agencies which had been actively advertising on social media, deceiving unsuspecting youths and defrauding them of their hard-earned money.
ADGP Praveen K Sinha revealed that these agencies were operating without the necessary licences and permissions required for such services. “Our investigation involved checking online platforms and verifying the credentials of these agencies. After confirmation of their illicit activities, FIRs were registered against them,” Mr Sinha stated, as per the Tribune.
This crackdown comes amid rising incidents of travel agencies sending youths to Western nations via illegal routes or to Russia to fight in the Ukraine war. ADGP Sinha urged citizens to be cautious and verify the credentials of travel agents before entrusting them with documents and money.
