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Immigration firm cheats
Canada-aspirant Punjab youth
WSN Network
Jalandhar: The
misery of the Punjab youth beating against the high walls of
Fortress US or Castle Europa know no end. Even as tales from the
Malta tragedy on the icy waters of the Ionian sea are part of the
folklore in Punjab now, a huge percentage of youth, and that
includes many many Sikh youth, works overtime to find ways, legal or
illegal, to escape to the western countries.
Now, around 60
youths, who had allegedly paid money to a Jalandhar-based company,
OGIC, for going to Canada for studies, seemed to have been badly
duped. Last week, they staged a dharna outside the company’s office
here and then took out a procession before submitting a memorandum
to the deputy commissioner seeking action against the company.
It seems the
company charged hefty amounts from them as processing fee and then
handed over fake offer letters on behalf of educational institutes
of Canada.
What's worse,
the company has provided the youth with fake financial statements
showing bank deposits. It was this trick that had lured many youth
into the trap.
Experts say it
is easy to blame the youth to fall for such a shady incentive but
the entire episode underlines the desparateness of the younger
generation in Punjab and the increasing lack of opportunities.
Raman and
Harpreet, who were among the protesters, revealed that they had paid
Rs 40,000 and Rs 22,000 initially to the company, but they got only
fake offer letters. However, on verification from
Canada,
it was discovered that these were fake, they said.
Amrik Singh
Varpal, organizing chairman of Majha-Doaba zone of Lok Bhalai Party,
said the company charges Rs 22,000 as processing fee and takes an
affidavit from students that the fee was non-refundable. They would
then charge Rs 2-5 lakh for getting Arranged Employment Opinion
(AEO) and another Rs 4.5 lakh for getting the visa.
They would again
seek payment for providing fake experience certificates for the gap
in study period and then provide financial statements showing bank
deposits worth Rs 26 lakh, for which 2% interest on the amount would
also be charged. The police were not taking adequate steps against
such unscrupulous elements, he added.
14
October 2009
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