Joint information of State Migration Service and Prosecutor General’s Office

As a result of the measures taken by State Migration Service (SMS) from January 29 to February 1, 2018, it turned out that since October 2017, 89 citizens of the Republic of India, in return of a large amount of money, were brought to Baku as tourists, in the guise of employment in the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as they were placed here and stayed on the territory of Azerbaijan despite the expiration of the validity of the visas. In this regard, the collected materials were sent to the Prosecutor General's Office for legal assessment.

According to the fact, criminal case was opened on articles 178.3.1, 178.3.2 (unlawful taking of another person's property in large quantities by organized group), 318-1.2.1 and 318-1.2.3 (organization of illegal migration by organized group repeatedly) in Department for Investigation of Grave Crimes of Prosecutor General's Office, an investigation team was established from the employees of the Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In accordance with criminal proceeding an inspection and a search were carried out, an examination and immediate investigative actions were conducted at the residential addresses of the migrants and at the accommodation addresses of the persons who organized illegal migration, necessary documents for the case were collected.

Within the initial investigation actions, it was revealed that citizen of the Republic of India Mohammad Sakir and others organized journey of citizens of India to the Republic of Azerbaijan in the guise of employment, their transfer from the airport, placement in predetermined residential areas, also took from each of them 400-800 US dollars to legalize their residence in the country.

During the conducted investigation, it was determined that some citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan were involved in mentioned acts of criminal nature, they promised organization of foreigners’ admission to tertiary education institutions, accommodated most of those foreigners in Balakhany and Ramana, as well as presented them fraudulent documents on their imaginary employment in a company operating in oil sector.

The organized group consist of the citizen of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Sajid Fraz, citizens of the Republic of India Mohammad Sakir, Alimuddin Shaikh, SK Allarakhan, in view of the existence of substantial suspicions of organizing illegal migration and unlawful taking of another person's property in large quantities, were accused with the relevant articles of the Criminal Code, and with the decision of the court, the arrest warrant was chosen.

Recognized as victims of criminal acts committed by accused persons, citizens of the Republic of India,  as well as accused persons, were fully provided with rights to receive legal assistance, to use the services of an interpreter, and others, and were ensured by necessary nutrition, clothing, and medical aid in accordance with the criminal procedural legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In accordance with the requirements of the current legislation, once the necessary investigative actions are over, victims of criminal acts will be sent from the Detention Center for Illegal Migrants to their countries of origin in a short period of time.

Currently, the necessary operational-investigative measures are being implemented in the direction of determining the scope of other persons who are parties to the crime and conducting a legal assessment of their actions.

The Embassy of India in our country was informed through Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the persons who violated migration legislation.