The community living abroad is considered as an ambassador and spokesperson of the entire nation back home. In other words, the overseas community has an important role in the image building of their country. They are supposed to follow the rules & regulations and play their role in the development of the host country. However, their involvement in any kind of illegal act not only creates serious issues for the host country but also tarnishes the image of their motherland.
If we talk about the South Asian region, the Indian community is the largest diaspora living abroad, be it in the United States, Russia or Middle Eastern countries. Stories of Indian citizens’ illegal and criminal activities in different countries often capture the attention of the media. Even neighbouring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka are not spared and crimes like drug trafficking, customs evasion, fake currency, kidnapping and extortion are reported regularly. Recently, 27 Indian citizens have been charged with different offences, with India becoming the largest group of foreign offenders in Nepal.
It was not long ago that the revelation of an Indian plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US shocked the entire world.
Besides this, the story of Jaspal Thapry, alias Rajinder Pal Singh’s involvement in human smuggling and money laundering across the U.S-Canada border also remained in the headlines of the media. He was a key member of a smuggling ring that used ride-share services and rental vehicles to transport individuals from Canada to various United States destinations, charging up to $11,000 per person. Thapry’s criminal activities also included falsifying documents and using the Hawala system to launder money. He was also reported to be involved in a $100,000 ticket scam in Canada. Thapry and his accomplice, Jordan Cordeiro, were charged with defrauding people by selling fake tickets for concerts and sporting events in Greater Toronto.
It was not long ago that the revelation of an Indian plot to assassinate Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States shocked the entire world. This, coupled with the diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, has further exposed India’s involvement in transnational assassination plots. These incidents have not only heightened concerns about India’s role in transnational crime but also led to the increased scrutiny of Indian citizens’ involvement in international criminal activities.
The increasing trend of Indian citizens’ involvement in negative activities has been observed for quite some time. This development has posed serious challenges to Western countries’ democracies as well as the entire world wherever Indians are living. Besides this, the huge influx of Indian migrants in Western countries has shrunk employment opportunities for the local population.
The writer is a freelance columnist with a special focus on issues concerning national security and regional development.