The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at 22 locations in two States in connection with an alleged illegalimmigration case.
The searches were carried out in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Mehsana, on the premises linked to the alleged key conspirators named in the case — Bharatbhai Patel, Charanjit Singh and others. Mr. Patel was also allegedly involved in the 2022 Dingucha case, in which a family of four had frozen to death while attempting to illegally enter the United States via Canada, said the agency.
The ED investigation is based on two First Information Reports filed with the Gujarat police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Passports Act for the involvement of the accused in sending Indian citizens abroad illegally since 2015.
According to the agency, it found that the accused persons were charging ₹60 lakh to ₹75 lakh per person; ₹1 crore to ₹1.25 crore per couple; and ₹1.25 crore to ₹1.75 crore per family with children; for sending them overseas through various illegal means, including on the basis of fabricated documents, and by allegedly securing visas of different countries using duplicate or bogus passports.
“During the search operation, the ED seized about ₹1.50 crore in cash and ₹21 lakh in foreign currencies, apart from digital and other evidence,” said the agency.
