Indian education agent arrested in Canada in connection with fake admission letters scam
Canada deportation
Canadian authorities have arrested Brijesh Mishra, an Indian education agent allegedly involved in a scam of counterfeit Canadian college admission letters.
Mishra, who was attempting to enter Canada, was found inadmissible by border agents and subsequently taken into custody. On Friday, the Canada Border Services Agency charged him with offering immigration advice without a licence and counselling individuals to misrepresent or withhold information from authorities, reported Toronto Star.
Only licensed lawyers and consultants registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants are authorised to provide immigration advice and services for a fee. Neither the Law Society of Ontario nor the consultants' college have any records indicating Mishra's membership, as education agents are not regulated in Canada.
Mishra's alleged role in issuing fakeacceptance letters
Mishra's arrest and charges follow an international education scamthat garnered attention in Canada and India. A group of international students faced deportation when they were found with fake manipulated admission letters to secure study permits. Mishra is accused of issuing fakeletters of acceptance to Canadian post-secondary institutions for prospective Indian students.
66 years of the Indus Waters Treaty: How India and Pakistan settled a bitter river dispute
)
Trump 2.0: Dark days ahead for America’s ‘imperial presidency’
)
Operation Sindoor’s hidden naval dimension | MoD reveals Indian Navy Special Forces joined May 7 strikes
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Ananya Panday to Sharvari: 5 actresses serving major princess vibes
)
Tirupati Laddu ghee adulterated with chemicals, says ED, supplier arrested
)
FACT CHECK: Why did PM Modi ask Xi ‘is it okay’ at BRICS Summit? New video reveals...
)
Mark Carney mimics Trump in hilarious moment over C$70 billion clean-energy investment; room erupts in laughter
)
Trump signs Russia sanctions bill into law, targets Moscow’s energy sector
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 Indian batters with fastest T20I centuries
)
Africa is splitting, and a lot sooner than estimated, giving way to a new ocean
)
Iran sets 7 conditions to end war with US: What are Tehran’s demands?
)
Pak: A series of counter terrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
)
Why Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar missed India’s Oscar entry; FFI jury member reveals what happened
)
Trump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House over ‘FAKE NEWS’
)
Pentagon revives mandatory testosterone testing for male troops aged 30 and above
)
Flying cars in UAE: Ras Al Khaimah signs deal with Chinese company to test new transport
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many F-35s does Britain, Japan and Israel have?
)
How did an Australian river with 500 crocodiles pass the Olympic test? Here's how
)
Iran rebuilding nuclear facilities? New satellite images show Tehran may be rapidly restoring bombed Parchin base
)
Putin: European leaders using war rhetoric to save falling ratings
)
Ajit Agarkar’s future as chief selector to be decided at right time, says BCCI secretary
)
Reacher star Alan Ritchson opens up about alleged blackmail, suicide attempt during difficult period
)
The Verdict | When precision fails: US commits war crime in Minab school strike, UN finds
)
Cochin shipyard starts building Indian Navy's next-gen missile vessels
)
‘System run by six individuals’: Rahul Gandhi targets PM Modi, Amit Shah, NSA Doval
)
‘Will go to any extent’: Pakistan vows to defend Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks
)
Russia holds first parliamentary elections since the beginning of the Ukraine war
)
Brigitte Bardot’s private collection set for Paris auction; key items and prices revealed
)
China may have gained access to US's classified F-35 jets; parts meant for repairs diverted to Hong Kong, sparking Pentagon inquiry
)
Russia extends ban on Western food imports for two more years in extended sanctions countermeasure
)
Oxford United's new clothing line featured 'United 93' phase
)
Arvind Kejriwal, family members, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta get SIR notices
)
Trump announces ‘AI Force’ as debate grows over AI risks and regulation
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why so many countries want the F-35 fighter jet
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
‘Not the US or China’: These are the countries leading the world in arable land
)
Students unaware of doctored letters, seek protection
The affected students, numbering in the hundreds, claim ignorance of the forged admission letters and only discovered the issue when they faced scrutiny from border officials during their postgraduate work permit applications or permanent residence application processes. They contend that they were victims of Mishra and other unscrupulous agents.
In response to the scandal, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced the suspension of pending deportations for the impacted Indian international students who alleged deception by Mishra and other fraudulent agents. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino commended the Canada Border Services Agency's criminal investigators for their efforts in combating fraud while protecting legitimate students pursuing their studies.
The charges against Mishra were filed by the Pacific Region Criminal Investigations Section of the Canada Border Services Agency. Regional Director General Nina Patel expressed appreciation for her officers' diligent investigation and emphasised the agency's commitment to holding lawbreakers accountable.
Also watch |Indian-origin gangs of Canada: Drugs, murders & politics | DARK WORLD
To address the complex circumstances surrounding each case, senior immigration and border enforcement officials have formed a task force for examining the level of individual students' involvement in defrauding the system.
The immigration department's and border agency's handling of the scam has come under scrutiny. Some students and their supporters staged protests outside the Canada Border Services Agency office in Toronto, demanding answers. The parliamentary immigration committee initiated its own investigation, seeking clarification from immigration and border officials regarding the delayed detection of fakedocuments and the potential penalisation of innocent students who were unknowingly victims of the scam.
WATCH WION LIVE HERE: