BHUBANESWAR: As the number of Odias who were detained in Southeast Asian and Gulf countries as illegal immigrants have shot up in recent years, the Crime Branch (CB) has asked the police to crack down on unlicensed recruitment agencies.
The CB circular said that recruitment of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers from the state to foreign countries has grown tremendously in the recent years.
Often such recruitment is carried out by unauthorized persons and organisations not holding a valid license as required under the Emigration Act of 1983, it said.
As a result, workers are not only stranded and wrongfully confined but also face exploitation at the hands of employers. Even after repatriation, they face difficulties in getting police assistance in initiating legal action against the unauthorized agents, the circular noted.
A circular, issued by Special DG of CB Bijay Sharma, said as per the Emigration Act no agency can carry out recruitment for jobs abroad unless they have a permit certificate from the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE). Under the act, anyone recruiting emigrants without a valid certificate will be liable for two years' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000.
As per the circular, Section 16 of Emigration Act 1983 mandates that an employer recruits any citizen of India for employment in any country or place outside India only through a recruiting agency with a valid permit.
Sharma said senior police officers were asked to circulate the order among all police stations so that appropriate legal action can be taken against unlicensed agencies.
In recent months, many Odia workers were detained as illegal immigrants in foreign soil. However, recruitment agencies, which operate in Kendrapara and Bhubaneswar have escaped the police scanner.
Tags: Odisha, illegal immigration, Emigration Act, fraud, Kendrapara, Bhubaneswar