Bengaluru (Aryavarth): Canadian authorities have brought charges against an Indian man, Brijesh Mishra, for his involvement in issuing fraudulent university letters of acceptance to Indian students, along with other immigration-related criminal offenses. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced that Mishra, a citizen of India, faces five charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
The investigation was initiated by the CBSA after receiving information about Mishra’s status in Canada and his alleged engagement in activities related to “counseling misrepresentation.” This case has exposed an alleged immigration scheme involving the use of forged documents by several Indian students seeking entry into Canada.
The acceptance letters, which initially appeared to be from universities, were determined by the CBSA to be counterfeit. The affected students were subsequently served deportation papers, alerting them to the fraudulent nature of the documents. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) first reported on this immigration scandal earlier this year.
The incident has prompted action from the Canadian government, with Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino stating, “Our government is taking action against those who are responsible for fraud while protecting those who’ve come here to pursue their studies.” Mishra had evaded authorities since the scandal came to light, but was apprehended by the CBSA during an attempt to illegally enter the country, as reported by the Toronto Star. Mishra is currently believed to be in pre-trial detention in British Columbia, according to Canadian sources.
The CBSA has filed five charges against Mishra, including those related to counseling misrepresentation, misrepresentation, and unauthorized representation or advice for consideration, all under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The charges reflect the agency’s commitment to preserving the integrity of Canada’s immigration system, according to Nina Patel, CBSA’s regional director general for the Pacific region.
In response to the incident, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced a temporary freeze on the planned deportation of numerous students who entered the country using fraudulent university acceptance letters. The situation has raised concerns about the overall immigration nexus and the vulnerability of students who unwittingly fell victim to the scheme.
In India, the Punjab Police registered three first information reports against Mishra and his accomplices, Rahul Bhargav and Gurnam Singh, on various charges, including cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. Although Bhargav was apprehended, Mishra and Singh remain at large. The Jalandhar district administration has canceled the license of Mishra’s immigration firm under the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act, 2014, due to its alleged involvement in criminal activities.
The magnitude of the fraud is evident in the fact that over 700 students, who had spent several years studying and working in Canada, now face potential deportation for obtaining Canadian study permits based on fake offer letters provided by Mishra’s firm. The students, who paid substantial amounts ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹30 lakh to study abroad, were unaware that they had procured forged offer letters to obtain their study visas.
The scam came to light when the students applied for permanent residency, and the CBSA discovered discrepancies in their applications. The students initially found the offer letters to be convincingly genuine, and even officials at the Canadian high commission did not detect any irregularities.
However, upon arrival in Canada and visiting their respective colleges, they realized they were not registered in the institutions mentioned in the offer letters. Mishra provided excuses and directed them to enroll in other colleges or wait for a semester, exploiting a clause in Canadian education policy that allows international students to change institutions or courses after arriving in the country.
The case has shed light on the challenges faced by students seeking education opportunities abroad and the need for stringent measures to prevent fraudulent practices. As investigations continue, the Canadian government is focused on safeguarding the interests of legitimate students while holding those responsible for fraud accountable.