Punjab Sees Sharp Rise in Immigration Fraud Complaints, Zero Prosecutions in Three Years. Punjab recorded a steep increase in complaints against illegal immigration agents in 2025, according to data presented by the Ministry of External Affairs in the Lok Sabha. The state received 80 such complaints last year, a nearly four-fold jump from just 18 in 2024 and higher than the 56 reported in 2023. Over the three years, Punjab logged a total of 154 complaints, accounting for about 53 per cent of all similar complaints from Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh combined. Despite the rising numbers, not a single request for prosecution sanction was sought or granted in Punjab between 2023 and 2025 under the Emigration Act.
This stands in contrast to states such as Delhi, which secured sanctions in all cases where requests were made. Punjab Police did step up action, submitting action-taken reports in 69 cases in 2025 compared with 38 FIRs the previous year. However, investigations have yet to progress to formal prosecution in any of these matters.Police records show that most complaints are concentrated in the Doaba region, particularly Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala, with Mohali, Amritsar and Ludhiana also emerging as significant centres. In a broader three-year span ending early 2025, Punjab Police registered over 3,200 FIRs against travel and immigration agents.
Of these, more than 1,100 were booked under the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012, while others fell under the Emigration Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code.The figures highlight the persistent challenge of unregistered agents exploiting the strong desire among Punjabis to migrate abroad, especially to Canada, the United States and Europe. Authorities continue to urge the public to verify the credentials of any immigration consultant, insist on official documentation, and avoid large cash payments based solely on verbal promises.