Lok Sabha Question No. 648 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Fake Recruitment Agencies
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.648 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2017

## FAKE RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

## 648.   SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  is  a  mushrooming  of  recruitment  agencies luring persons with placements abroad;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  complaints  are  received  about  cheating/fraud  by these agencies;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  of  such  complaints received during the last two  years  and  this  year,  year-wise  and  the  details  of  action taken against the culprits;
- (e) whether the Government has got any mechanism to regulate/register/monitor such agencies; and
- (f)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## (SHRI M. J. AKBAR)

(a) to (c) Government maintains data only of registered recruiting agents.  However,  the  complaints  are  received  from  time  to  time, including cheating/fraud by fake recruitment agencies from emigrants and their family members/relatives. Such complaints are forwarded  to  concerned  State  Governments  and  police  authorities urging them to apprehend illegal agents and prosecute them on the basis  of  complaints.  Wherever  required,  such  complaints  are  also referred to Mission/Post abroad for providing relief/rescue of emigrants in distress. On receipt of request from State Government,

Prosecution  Sanction  is  issued  enabling  them  to  prosecute  such illegal agents.

(d) As per the available records, the number of complaints against unregistered agents received and referred to the State Governments from the year 2015 onwards are as under:

| Year                |   No. of Complaints |   Cases referred to State Govt for action |   Prosecution Sanction sought |   Prosecution Sanction issued |
|---------------------|---------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| 2015                |                 195 |                                       101 |                            11 |                            11 |
| 2016                |                 231 |                                       231 |                            42 |                            42 |
| 2017 (till 30 June) |                 220 |                                       220 |                            15 |                            15 |

(e) & (f) Since 'Law & Order' is a State subject, and since illegal agents mostly operate from the territory of  States,  it  is  the  prime responsibility of State Governments to stop illegal activities of such fake  recruitment  agencies  and  take  action  to  apprehend  and prosecute them, after investigations. Government has also issued a Standard Operating Procedure on 26th May, 2016, to be followed by State Governments, on receipt of  complaints.  Visual  and  print  media  campaign  have  also  been launched  from  time  to  time,  in  several  languages  encouraging people to use the services of Registered Recruiting Agents only and not to go through Illegal/Fake Agents, for Overseas Employment.

Emigrants and their relatives can also register their complaints at MADAD Portal of the Ministry. Two high level meetings have  been  held  by  the  Ministry  of  External  Affairs  with  State Government NRI Departments to sensitise them on the need to take prompt  action  on  complaints  received  against  illegal  recruiting agents.

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