Chandigarh: Haryana’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has written to the US Department of Justice to “caution” it against people using the political party’s name to claim persecution and seek asylum in America.
In a 10 June letter to the US federal government, Nachhatar Singh Malhan, office secretary of INLD’s headquarters in Chandigarh, wrote that “a number of persons from Haryana are submitting forged documents for getting asylum in the USA”. ThePrint has seen the letter.
“They are living in the USA without any valid documents and to get citizenship of your country they get prepared forged documents in the name of the Indian National Lok Dal, which is a regional political party of Haryana (India),” the letter said, adding that a “hefty sum” was charged for forging such documents.
The INLD, however, has admitted to having issued two letters for asylum, the latest being this month.
When contacted, Malhan said that it had come to the party’s notice that people claiming to be office-bearers were submitting letters claiming they could face persecution from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He added that some “little-known political parties” in India make it a practice of issuing such letters.
“I have cautioned the US Department of Justice against the misuse of our party’s name through fake letters for filing asylum applications,” he told ThePrint.
The INLD’s letter comes close on the heels of an alleged fake admission letters scam. The alleged racket came to light in March when media reports said 700 Indian students could face deportation after they received false letters of admission.
The prime suspect, identified as Jalandhar-based travel agent, Brijesh Mishra, has been arrested in the case.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)