After video footage surfaced from Tri-Valley university campus suggesting Indian students were being radio-tagged as part of electronic surveillance by US immigration authorities, the Ministry of External Affairs has summoned the US deputy chief of mission. (Read: Radio-tagging 'sham' university students excessive: India to US)
In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, "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 a group of students, who were detained and later released with monitors in accordance with US laws, is unwarranted and should be removed." (Read: Treat students fairly, India tells US)
Reports suggest hundreds of students of Tri-Valley University face the prospect of deportation after the university was charged with immigration fraud.
"The passports of the students have been impounded and the navigation device has been fit on their leg so the authorities can know where the student is at any point in time. So they will know if the student leaves the Bay area." Ashok Kolla, the Students' chairperson of the Telugu Association of North America told NDTV.
However, in a petition submitted by students of Tri-Valley University to the US authorities, students point out that they believed this was a bona fide and legitimate university as it was registered with the official Student and Exchange Visitor Information System database. Students plead that they should not be penalised with being deported from the country.
Maintaining that the fraud was done by the US University, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi today said "we requested the state department to take a lenient view because all the students are innocent."
The Tri-Valley University (TVU) in Pleasanton, a major suburb in San Francisco Bay Area, has been charged by federal investigating authorities with being part of an effort to defraud, misuse visa permits and indulge in money laundering and other crimes.
Tri-Valley University founder and head Susan Su, in an interview to the Fox News, denied of any wrongdoing.
"You talk about our income, but we do not do cheating. This is the standard we charge, with so many students, we never forced anybody to sign up with us," Susan was quoted as saying.
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