Delhi Police have made headway in a major immigration racket that duped Sri Lankan nationals by promising to send them abroad through India. Two men, Selvakulendran and Mahenthiraraja, were arrested for running the elaborate scheme that promised to send unsuspecting Sri Lankan nationals to Canada through India. The men were operating across Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, and investigators say that they charged each of their targets ₹2 lakh for the fictitious trip. The racket was busted when a police patrol encountered a group of ten Sri Lankan nationals in the Mahipalpur area who were unable to produce documents to verify their identities, sparking an investigation.
The police launched an investigation and used electronic surveillance to track down the two men. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, IGI, Devesh Kumar Mahla, the team used call records to track down Selvakulendran and arrested him in Trichy. He revealed that his accomplice Mahenthiraraja was the sub-agent who led the scheme’s victims to the airport. Authorities said that the Sri Lankan nationals were prompted to deposit money with the agent via a linked contact called Vijay.
The two men will now face charges for unlawfully aiding illegal immigration into another country. The authorities described the operation as large-scale, given the number of victims who fell prey to the fraudsters.
The Delhi Police advises individuals to be wary of such scams. Many people aspiring to make a life overseas are often duped by fake agents who promise quick and easy passage abroad. Individuals who are planning to immigrate, study or work abroad are advised to be mindful of such scams and to verify the credentials of the people they are working with to avoid such fraudulent activities.
