WASHINGTON: As radio-tagging of scores of Indian students duped by a "sham"
US university continues to cause anger back home, the controversial
institute has claimed that one of its Indian-origin staff was responsible
for the immigration fraud and it was not directly involved in it.
Breaking its silence, the California-based Tri Valley University (TVU),
which was shut down last month, termed as "baseless" the allegations of
immigration fraud against the institute and claimed that it had not duped
any student.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) brought "this baseless
allegation and put a red-tape in the school operation for a federal
investigation, causing hundreds of students to withdraw from classes (and)
many instructors requested to quit teaching for the current term.
"Also, it caused a profitable university operation to quickly sink into
negative in financial debt," Susan Su , President and founder of the TVU,
said in an e-mail to PTI.
"Starting in April, one of student assistants Anji Reddy, who worked in TVU
administrative office, teamed with another student Ram Krista Karra , who
also has a consultant company, conducting a large cheating scheme by asking
students to make tuition payment into Ram Krista Karra's personal account in
exchange for student I-20 and CPT approval. TVU has fired these two
individuals," the e-mail said.
The complaint against TVU before the ICE was made by these two, Su claimed.
Hundreds of Indian students were facing deportation and their academic
career was in limbo due to the closer of the university by the ICE. Many of
them were also forced to wear radio collars around their ankles so that US
authorities can keep track of their movements.
India has taken up the matter with the State Department and other concerned
US officials, asking them to ensure that none of the Indian students is
victimised.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna termed the radio-tagging of the
students as an "inhuman act" and demanded severe action against those
responsible.
State Department spokesman P J Crowley has, however, said ankle monitors are
used across the US as part of a standard procedure for a variety of
investigation and that this does not necessarily imply guilt or suspicion of
criminal activity.
The US has taken very seriously the alleged immigration scam of Tri Valley
University in California, which has mainly affected Indian students, he told
reporters yesterday.
"We take these allegations of immigration and visa fraud very seriously.
These allegations are an excellent example of the universally damaging
effects of visa fraud," he said.
Crowley said the ICE has established a helpline for the Indian students
affected by the closure of the university.
"Those who are involved in this investigation have been issued ankle
monitors. This is widespread across the United States and standard procedure
for a variety of investigations. It does not necessarily imply guilt or
suspicion of criminal activity," he said.
"But we are following this case closely. We are in regular communication
with officials of the Government of India. DHS (Department of Homeland
Security) and ICE are leading this investigation, and that's about all I can
say at this point," he said in response to a question.
