The Ministry of Home Affairs has flagged a "dangerous trend" of trafficking through "overseas recruitment scams", directing states and Union Territories to "lead a specialised offensive" against rackets that lure victims with promises of high-paying jobs and trap them in "CyberFraud Centres".
In an advisory to states and UTs, the ministry called for a specialised enforcement response involving state police, cyber cells, labour authorities and local administrations.
The state cyber cells were directed to remain vigilant on social media and job portals for suspicious recruitment offers. The advisory said authorities should promptly seize digital chats and payment records as evidence in cases of fraudulent recruitment.
Asking the states and UTs to establish a mandatory verification mechanism for local recruitment agencies, the ministry said agencies operating without a valid licence from the Protector of Emigrants under the Ministry of External Affairs, or those facilitating illegal "donkey" routes, should be shut down and their operators prosecuted under aggravated trafficking provisions.
"State/UT administrations need to establish a structured mechanism for regular circulation and sharing of verified information relating to labour hiring agencies, placement agencies, contractors, and overseas recruitment facilitators with police, anti-human trafficking units (AHTU), special branches, district administration, etc," it said.
The ministry urged states to use the e-Migrate portal for public awareness campaigns to warn people about unauthorised migration and involve panchayats in identifying and reporting unauthorised agents.
"States should issue clear advisories to digital platforms and local media to verify the licences of recruiters before publishing advertisements. Failure to perform due diligence should be viewed as aiding and abetting the crime," it said.
The ministry has asked states to strengthen their Anti-Human Trafficking Units, saying units funded with Central assistance under the Nirbhaya Fund must be fully staffed and actively engaged in field operations.
The ministry also asks states to use the National Automated Facial Recognition System to cross-reference rescued people and unidentified minors with the Mission Vatsalya portal.
Warning public servants about "zero tolerance for complicity and administrative negligence", the ministry underlined that failure to comply with the prescribed procedures and actions will lead to departmental enquiry and disciplinary penalties.
"There are various provisions that establish criminal liability for a public servant's official complicity. For instance, under Section 199(c) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, any public servant who fails to record information provided to them under sub-section (1) of Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, in relation of certain cognisable offences punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 143-144 (trafficking of persons), shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term not less than six months, which may extend up to two years, and shall also be liable to a fine," it said.
(With inputs from PTI)
