Sham marriages - Centre mulls tougher law to nail accused NRIs
Monday, 01/09/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140901/punjab.htm#23
Chandigarh : With the process of extraditing a wanted criminal or repatriating an illegal immigrant to his home country taking decades and limited to hardened criminals, the Centre is trying to find means to shorten the process besides bringing NRIs accused of fraudulent or sham marriages under its purview.
A high-level meeting of the Union Government representatives, InterPol, IB, CBI, police officials, members of the National Commission for Women and the Punjab Commission for NRIs was held in New Delhi a couple of days ago. A committee to study the legal aspects of extradition and repatriation was formed.
The committee would explore the avenues of shortening the process but more significantly, it would study if fraudulent marriages could be brought under its ambit or not.
Among others, the committee comprises members of the National Commission for Women, the CBI, police officials from Punjab and ADGP rank officer posted with the Punjab Commission for NRIs, said Justice Anand Kumar (retd), chairperson for the NRI Commission.
It is estimated that over 30,000 sham marriages have taken place in the last decade. The police was largely helpless in taking action against the accused NRIs. The law enables the police to declare the NRI a proclaimed offender and attach his property.
Of late, the police have also been empowered to get the passports impounded by the Indian Embassy officials concerned. Nearly 100 such passports of NRIs involved in fraudulent marriages, cheating on the pretext of settling a person abroad and property frauds were reportedly impounded last year.
“But this did not provide direct relief to the victim,” said Anand Kumar. “The victims in India want to see the person in jail. Some have hopes that if the man is brought back, he may realise his crime and the marriage can be saved. An early extradition or repatriation can provide this opportunity,” he said.
