The Protector of Emigrants (PoE), a specialized division under the Ministry of External Affairs, recently collaborated with the Bengaluru City Police to conduct significant enforcement operations against unauthorized immigration consultancy firms operating in the HSR Layout and Talaghattapura areas.
These joint efforts led to raids on a firm in HSR Layout this week and another in Talaghattapura earlier in September. Both establishments were found to be illegally recruiting individuals for overseas employment, a clear violation of India’s Emigration Act of 1983.
During the raid on Morganvij Immigration Services Pvt. Ltd. in HSR Layout, PoE and city police officials seized numerous documents related to the firm’s illicit activities. A formal police complaint (FIR) has been lodged at the HSR Layout Police Station. The action followed multiple complaints from individuals who alleged that the agency had defrauded them of substantial sums of money, promising overseas jobs in Europe, New Zealand, and Gulf countries. Despite receiving a show cause notice on May 19, the firm persistently promoted its unlicensed recruitment services across social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, as stated by Avaneesh Shukla, Officer Protector of Emigrants for Karnataka and Goa.
This marks the second major enforcement action by the PoE in Bengaluru this month. On September 6, in collaboration with city police, another unregistered recruitment operator was raided in Talaghattapura, operating from a residential property. This agent was suspected of recruiting individuals for employment in the ‘Golden Triangle’ region of Southeast Asia, including Myawaddy in Myanmar, using social media channels such as Telegram and WhatsApp groups. A police complaint has also been registered in this case.
Avaneesh Shukla, Officer, PoE, Karnataka and Goa, voiced grave concerns regarding the increasing number of fraudulent entities engaging in overseas recruitment without proper authorization. He emphasized, “These agencies exploit the hopes and financial resources of individuals aspiring to work abroad.” Shukla issued a stern warning to all such agencies operating without a valid Registration Certificate from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), including those masquerading as study abroad consultants, PR visa facilitators, or work permit advisors, urging them to cease operations immediately.
Furthermore, the PoE has appealed to owners and managers of co-working spaces to conduct thorough checks before renting out their premises, ensuring that no unauthorized overseas recruitment activities are being conducted from their locations without the necessary MEA license.