Radio-tagging Indian students unwarranted: MEA

India on Saturday reacted sharply to the action of the United Stated authorities to tie a tracker on Indian students duped by a California-based a California-based Tri-Valley University, terming it as "unwarranted" and demanded its removal.

The government also said it was "seriously concerned" about the impact of the US federal action against the university, dubbed as the "sham" university by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on the Indian students enrolled at the now-closed university.

"We have conveyed to the US authorities that the students, most of who are victims, must be treated fairly and reasonably and that the use of monitors on a group of students, who were detained and later released with monitors in accordance with US laws, is unwarranted and should be removed," an External Affairs Ministry's statement said.

India also asked the US to take a "lenient" view of the students duped the  Tri-Valley University.

Maintaining that the fraud was done by the US university, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said, "We requested the US state department to take a lenient view because all the students are innocent." He said the university had no registration and it was not the fault of the Indian students.

Ravi said the Indian Consulate General there was in touch with the local authorities on the issue and they are waiting for a report and only then they will know what assistance should be given to the students.

"We have conveyed to the US authorities that the students, most of who are victims themselves, must be treated fairly and reasonably, and that the use of monitors on students is unwarranted and should be removed," said a spokesperson from the Indian consulate.  

"Students should be given ample opportunity to clarify their position and present their case. Those who wish to return to India should be allowed to do so voluntarily and those students who have not violated any visa or immigration laws should be given opportunity to adjust their status. Those who are eligible to seek transfer to other universities should be given adequate opportunity and time to do so," the consulate told US authorities.

The consulate has asked the US government to provide them with full information on the affected students and on the action being taken against the promoters of the university and others involved in perpetrating the fraud.

The principal investigator into the case has provided the Indian consulate in San Francisco with a list of immigration attorneys, who are prepared to guide and advise the students free of charge, on immigration procedures. 

The preliminary information provided by ICE to the consulate is that they propose to bring out a detailed advisory for all students of TVU, sometime next week. It will provide guidance to eligible students regarding what they can do to seek admission in other schools.
The ICE has advised that all students of TVU, should report to the nearest ICE office for instructions. Those students who are presently in India with TVU sponsored visas should not travel to the US with that visa. They can apply to other universities and, if admitted, could apply afresh for new visas, the consulate said.  

Duped by the authorities of Tri-Valley University, which has been shut down, hundreds of Indian students, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, faced deportation back home after having lost their student visa status.

According to a federal complaint filed in a California court last week, the university helped foreign nationals illegally acquire immigration status. The students are reported to have paid lakhs of rupees for obtaining a visa for their category and also for students' work permit.

Meanwhile, sources said the wearing of trackers was part of the procedure in cases where there was a possibility of deportation.