DELHI- In a local court, a US national, Eric Daniel Beckwith (36), has been sentenced to two years of imprisonment for attempting to enter India using counterfeit visa documents.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Saurabh Srivastava issued the verdict on Friday, accompanied by a Rs 20,000 fine imposed on the individual, as confirmed by ASP Atish Kumar Singh.
US Citizen Fake Visa
The court specified that failing to pay the fine would result in an additional 15 days of imprisonment for the individual.
According to the ASP, the US national was traveling to India from Nepal when the Immigration Department, in the Sonauli area of the India-Nepal border, scrutinized his documents.
Upon investigation, it was discovered that his visa documents were counterfeit, leading to his arrest on March 29. A case was filed against him under the applicable sections of the IPC and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act.
In adherence to norms, the relevant embassy and intelligence agencies have been duly notified.
Indian Students Deported from the USA
In August 2023, on the day after arrival, around 16 Indian students faced deportation at Atlanta Airport (ATL) subsequent to their arrival from Delhi (DEL) on a Delta Air Lines (DL) codeshare flight.
These students were in possession of valid F1 visas that permitted them to pursue studies at St. Louis University.
According to a statement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), they appeared to lack awareness about the specific name of the university they were enrolled in.
Consequently, they were placed on a Delta codeshare flight destined for Delhi. However, upon reaching Delhi, they encountered a predicament as U.S. immigration authorities had neglected to provide them with the necessary deportation documentation.
As per one of the students, she possessed “legitimate documents, including her I-20 and university admission papers.”
Nonetheless, U.S. immigration officers discovered that she had “visa interview preparation questions stored on” her mobile phone.
The officials intensely questioned her regarding the visa-related inquiries stored on her phone. They inquired about the expenses incurred for visa coaching and even asked for the name of the visa interview officer.
Priti expressed her difficulty in recalling the visa interview officer’s name, asking, “How was I supposed to remember what the visa interview officer’s name was?”
Following the interrogation, the officials swiftly conveyed to her that she would be subjected to deportation. She was presented with the option of reaching out to the Indian Embassy for assistance.
However, she received a warning that any falsehoods could result in her potential imprisonment.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News.
The post US Citizen Gets Two Years Jail in India for Entering with Fake Visa appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
