SHRI N.R. GOVINDARAJAR :

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-

(a) whether it is a fact that visa stickers were stolen from Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and they were used by Malaysians to enter India;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether more than 1000 Malaysians enter India using this stolen visa stickers;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) The steps taken to trace out those persons who entered India illegally using those stolen visa stickers?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

(SHRI E. AHAMED)

(a) to (e) Yes, Sir. Loss of a number of visa stickers from the Indian Mission in Kuala Lumpur and their misuse by certain travel agents or their employees for travel of their clients to India, has been detected. Particulars of the missing visa stickers were provided to the Indian Immigration Authorities with the request to look out for such visa holders. The Immigration Authorities issued Look Out Circulars in respect of the same. The Indian Mission in Kuala Lumpur also informed the Malaysian authorities, various airlines and the general public (through press announcements) regarding the lost stickers, advising holders of such visas against using the same to travel to India.