CHANDIGARH: Haryana government will bring in a new law to curb illegal immigration by registering agents to fix their responsibility.

For this, the state government has prepared the draft of The Haryana Registration and Regulation of the Travelling Agencies Bill 2023 as well as The Haryana Registration and Regulation of the Travelling Agencies Rules 2023.The bill is expected to be tabled before the Haryana state assembly in the upcoming winter session.

Additional chief secretary (home) Haryana, T V S N Prasad, has given this information in an affidavit submitted before the Punjab and Haryana high court in response to a query by the HC on the state’s efforts or mechanism to check illegal travel agents in the state.

162 arrested for immigration rackets between 2021 & 2023

Necessary steps for registration of emigration agents in Haryana are already being taken. A draft of the two bills have been prepared and sent to the DGP for necessary comments, and the comments Haryana have received vide letter dated November 20.

The draft bill and the draft rules have now been put before the competent authority for appropriate decision,” the home secretary told the HC. At present, according to the home secretary, whenever any case against any unregistered agent is reported to the police in any district, a case under Section 10 and 24 of the Emigration Act is registered against them.

Referring to the cases in Karnal district regarding which the HC had sought such details , the home secretary stated that 162 accused have also been arrested for cheating youngsters in the name of sending them abroad from 2021- 23.

He, however, accepted that as per the report received from the office of SP Karnal, no registration of agents is done at district level. Home secretary has also assured the HC that requisite steps are being taken to ensure the transparency, accountability, integrity of travel agents and to check their illegal and fraudulent activities.