Indian Immigration Agent Detained in Canada to Remain in Custody Until February Trial

Brijesh Mishra, an Indian immigration agent currently detained in Canada on charges related to allegedly using forged documents for student admissions, will remain in Federal custody until his trial begins in February next year, according to a report by HT.

As per a letter from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to some former students, Mishra has agreed to detention in a Vancouver holding facility, with an arraignment scheduled for February 9, 2024, according to the report. The letter stated that during this arraignment, Mishra must enter a plea (guilty or not guilty).

Mishra, held since June, faces five charges, including counseling misrepresentation, misrepresentation, and unauthorized representation or advice for consideration. Despite attempts, he has been denied bail and made one court appearance in an admissibility hearing related to a student, Karamjit Kaur, on November 1.

Kaur's lawyer, Sumit Sen, anticipates that Mishra will continue to assert his innocence, expecting him to "flatly deny all charges during his arraignment." Sen noted Mishra's denial of involvement in organized criminal activity, despite over 285 active cases uncovered by CBSA during their investigation.

Earlier this year, numerous former students from India, primarily Punjab, faced deportation from Canada as their admission documents were found to be forged. Mishra, associated with the Jalandhar-based counseling firm EMSA Education and Migration Services Australia at the time, represented most affected students, who received notices from CBSA once fraudulent documentation was detected. The students arrived in Canada between 2017 and 2019, with some in 2020, and notices from immigration authorities began in 2021.

Published on: Tuesday, December 19, 2023, 08:58 PM IST