Lok Sabha Question No. 2411 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-01
Subject: Illegal Recruiting Agents
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: SANTOSH AHLAWAT, RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA, OM PRAKASH YADAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2411

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2018

## ILLEGAL RECRUITING AGENTS

2411. SHRIMATI SANTOSH AHLAWAT: SHRI R.DHRUVA NARAYANA: SHRI OM PRAKASH YADAV:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that lots of illegal recruiting agents are fraudulently sending poor and illiterate persons abroad and if so, the details of the persons sent fraudulently in the last four years;
- (b) whether the Government has taken any action against such illegal Recruiting Agents in the last four years and if so, the details of the action taken by the Government, State and UT wise, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether in most of the cases the Recruiting agents are untraceable and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government is planning to create any special operation group to take timely action against the illegal Recruiting Agents and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) to (c) Yes.   Complaints   are   received   from   time   to   time   by   the Ministry of External Affairs from Indian emigrants who have been sent for overseas employment by illegal agents fraudulently and are therefore subjected to cheating, denial of jobs, poor working conditions etc.

On receipt of details of such illegal agents involved in unauthorized recruitment for overseas employment, the same are forwarded to the concerned State/UT Government and Police authorities urging them to apprehend illegal agents and prosecute them. This is necessary as 'Law & Order' is a State subject. On receiving requests from the concerned State Governments/Police   authorities,   Prosecution   Sanctions   are   issued expeditiously by the Ministry, enabling them to initiate legal action against the accused illegal agents.

As per the available records, number of cases forwarded to the State   Governments   against   illegal   agents,   and   number   of   Prosecution Sanctions issued during 2015-18 (upto 30 th  June, 2018) are as under:

| Year   | Total Number of cases referred to State/UT Government s for initiating investigation   | Names of State/UT Governments which initiated investigation   | Number of cases in which request received for issue of Prosecution Sanction after investigation Number of Prosecution Sanctions issued by Government   |
|--------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 2015   | 101              | -NA-        |   11 |   11 |
|--------|------------------|-------------|------|------|
| 2015   | 101              | Total       |   11 |   11 |
| 2016   | 231              | Goa         |    1 |    1 |
| 2016   | 231              | Kerala      |    3 |    3 |
| 2016   | 231              | Maharasthra |    1 |    1 |
| 2016   | 231              | Punjab      |    8 |    8 |
| 2016   | 231              | Rajasthan   |    4 |    4 |
| 2016   | 231              | Tamil Nadu  |   15 |   15 |
| 2016   | 231              | Telengana   |   10 |   10 |
| 2016   | 231              | Total       |   42 |   42 |
| 2017   | 446              | Delhi       |    1 |    1 |
| 2017   | 446              | Goa         |    1 |    1 |
| 2017   | 446              | Kerala      |    5 |    5 |
| 2017   | 446              | Punjab      |    3 |    3 |
| 2017   | 446              | Rajasthan   |    5 |    5 |
| 2017   | 446              | Tamil Nadu  |    5 |    5 |
| 2017   | 446              | Telengana   |   10 |   10 |
| 2017   | 446              | Total       |   30 |   30 |
| 2018   | 231 (up to June) | Delhi       |    1 |    1 |
|        |                  | Goa         |    1 |    1 |
|        |                  | Telengana   |    1 |    1 |
|        |                  | Total       |   03 |   03 |

In May 2016, Ministry had also issued Standard Operating Procedure to be followed by States on receipt of complaints against illegal Agents. Visual and print media campaigns are also launched from time to time for promoting legal and safe migration and encouraging emigrants to use the services   of   registered   Recruiting   Agents   to   avoid   being   trapped   by Illegal/fake agents. The names of illegal Agents are also displayed and updated   State-wise   on   the   e-migrate   website   to   enable   prospective emigrants to be wary of such fake agents.

(d) The   action   against   illegal   Agents   is   undertaken   by   the   State Governments/UT administration as 'Law & Order' is State subject. *****