New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out extensive searches at seven locations in Punjab and Haryana, in connection with the money laundering probe linked to the notorious ‘donkey route case’. Many incriminating documents and materials were seized during the raids, including forged emigration stamps and visa templates of other foreign nations.
The ED sleuths conducted searches in Mansa, Kurukshetra and Karnal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to investigate the alleged manipulation of visa records of Indian nationals by the immigration racket.
During searches, it was revealed that travel agents and middlemen involved in the scam had accumulated movable and immovable properties obtained out of the proceeds of crime.
“During the searches, forged emigration stamps of various foreign countries, visa templates, various incriminating documents, records and digital devices were recovered and seized,” the ED said in a statement.
Incriminating evidence recovered during the search suggested that certain payments were routed illegally through hawala channels.
According to ED’s findings, the forged emigration stamp and visa template stamps of foreign countries were used to manipulate the visa/records of migrants who intend to travel abroad. The migrants chose the risky ‘donkey routes’ to travel abroad and settle there.
The forged emigration stamps were used to prepare fake visas, and the same were used for journeys abroad for the ‘donkeys’.
The ED further said, “During searches, the extensive network of various middlemen, travel agents, Indian nationals and other foreign nationals was probed. Primarily, these agents and middlemen used to give false assurances to the deportees about sending them on legal routes.
The agents were found to have international mobile numbers and used to communicate with their foreign counterparts through WhatsApp chats and other encrypted modes.
The investigating agency initiated action, based on various FIRs registered by the Punjab Police and the Haryana Police under various sections of BNS 2023(erstwhile IPC 1860) and the Immigration Act, 1983.
(IANS)
