Punjab’s Bureau of Investigation has summoned three Air India employees and four staffers of AI Airport Services Ltd for a second round of questioning on 24 July in connection with a human-trafficking racket that exploited forged digital immigration documents. Investigators say 14 passengers flew to London between 11–16 January using falsified UK e-visa screenshots before claiming asylum. According to the special investigation team’s internal memo reviewed by Hindustan Times, airline check-in agents allegedly bypassed mandatory online visa verification and relied on images presented on passengers’ phones. British authorities alerted Air India after the first batch landed, but a second group still slipped through five days later. The case has rocked India’s flagship carrier just as it invests heavily in compliance training post-privatisation. If negligence is proved, the Director-General of Civil Aviation could impose penalties and mandatory audits, potentially delaying the rollout of Air India’s new biometric boarding programme. From a corporate-mobility angle, the episode is a reminder that carriers, not just immigration officers, form a critical line of defence against document fraud. Companies relocating staff via smaller Indian airports should verify whether airline personnel have access to destination-country visa validation portals, industry experts warn.
Source: Hindustan Times
