INLD alerts US, says party letters forged to seek asylum

INLD alerts US, says party letters forged to seek asylum

CHANDIGARH: Haryana’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has written to the US authorities saying forged letters are being issued in its name to illegal immigrants seeking asylum in America.

The INLD move comes close on the heels of similar “scams” in Canadian colleges, where many students from India face deportation over forged offer letters allegedly spun by agents in Punjab.

The INLD wrote to the US department of justice and the US embassy in India after recently finding its name “misused” in such spurious letters on forged party letterheads to those already in the US, citing threats to their life in India, NS Malhan, secretary (INLD office), said. Fake immigration letters are often issued by racketeers and dodgy agents on hefty payments.

“We have come to know that, relying on (such fake) INLD letters, the US authorities have granted asylum to some people. Now, we have written to the US authorities. We have also requested them to verify any such letter from the party office before accepting requests for asylum,” Malhan told TOI.

The INLD letter says “a number of persons from Haryana (India) are submitting forged documents to get asylum in the US”.

“They are living in the USA without any valid documents and to get the citizenship of your country, they have prepared forged documents in the name of INLD, which is a regional political party of Haryana (India). Only the office of INLD, situated in Chandigarh (India), is authorised to issue such documents. Nobody else is permitted to issue any certificate in this respect,” the letter states. The letter goes on to add that “this (INLD) office has issued only two certificates so far and all other documents submitted to your justice department are forged”.

Asked why the matter had not been reported to police so far, Malhan said the party was examining if there was any “role of a party office-bearer or any other person in this racket” and would inform the cops if it suspects specific people. “Our first aim was to alert the authorities about this scam,” Malhan added.

According to a senior INLD functionary, when such illegal immigrants reach the US, they often contact some agents/lawyers there through their India-based agents. Such forged letters are then arranged citing “threats to their rights and life in India”.

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