ED probes Canadian colleges for alleged involvement in trafficking Indians to US | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has launched an investigation into the alleged involvement of certain Canadian colleges and Indian entities in a money laundering case tied to human trafficking across the Canada-US border.
In January 19, 2022, a four-member Indian family from Dingucha village in Gujarat, succumbed to extreme cold while attempting to cross the border illegally.
The ED’s inquiry stems from an FIR filed by Ahmedabad Police against Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel, the primary accused, and several others. The agency has registered a complaint under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). According to the ED, Patel and his accomplices orchestrated a “well-planned conspiracy” to facilitate the illegal entry of Indian nationals into the United States via Canada, constituting human trafficking.
The modus operandi
The investigation revealed that the accused secured admissions for individuals in Canadian colleges and universities under the pretext of higher education. Once these individuals obtained Canadian student visas and entered the country, they bypassed their supposed academic commitments to cross the US-Canada border illegally.
According to a PTI report, the ED disclosed that the tuition fees paid to these Canadian institutions were often refunded to the individuals’ accounts, raising suspicions of collusion. Indian nationals were reportedly charged between Rs 55 and Rs 60 lakh each for this illicit services.
The ED conducted fresh searches on December 10 and 19 across eight locations, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara. Preliminary findings implicated two entities—one based in Mumbai and the other in Nagpur—in facilitating admissions to foreign universities on a commission basis. Together, these entities are said to refer over 35,000 Indian students annually to colleges abroad, with 25,000 attributed to one entity and 10,000 to the other.
Further, the ED uncovered a network of approximately 1,700 agents in Gujarat and 3,500 across the rest of India, with around 800 reportedly active. Agreements have been identified between these entities and 112 Canadian colleges in one case and over 150 colleges in another. Some of these institutions, particularly those near the Canada-US border, are suspected of being complicit in human trafficking.
Seizures and findings
During the searches, the ED froze Rs 19 lakh in bank deposits, seized two vehicles, and recovered various incriminating documents and digital devices. The agency is scrutinizing the role of the Canadian colleges implicated in the case and their geographical proximity to the Canada-US border, which may have facilitated trafficking activities.