FRESNO: Twelve people have been arrested on charges they paid bribes to an undercover federal immigration agent to process amnesty documents and issue work-authorization cards for unqualified applicants.

“The arrests resulted from indictments issued by a federal grand jury in Fresno afire four months of undercover investigation by the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service between November 1990 and February 1991.

The investigations was known as (Operation Glue stick and focused on systematic attempts to corrupt the immigration system particularly the amnesty program said George L.O Connell US attorney for the eastern district of California.

Among those arrested were Fresno residents Balbir Singh Gill believedtobe34; Deepinder Singh Sangha also known as Gupi Sangha 33; Harmohinder Singh Sodhi 46: Jamail Singh Shoker 37 and Harbajan “Harry” Singh 39or40

Selma businessman Narinder Ben” Bains 51 also was arrested as were Balwinder Singh Kahlon 46 of North Hollywood; Om Parkash Vij 58; Rajinder “Raj” Singh 34 of La Habra; Tasmine Shariff 36 of Denver Colo and Mirza Baig 34 of Denver Colo.

More arrests are expected according to an INS spokesman. Kahlon Bains Gill and Parkash are accused of conspiring to bribe a public official and to file false amnesty applications five counts of bribing the agent and two counts of filing false statements in amnesty applications. The four are accused of paying $52500 to an undercover agent for work-authorization cards for unqualified applicants.

Shariff and Baig are accused of bribing public official by paying $5000 to the agent for five work authorization cards.

Sangha and Sodhi are charged with conspiring to bribe the agent and to file false amnesty applications. They are charged with paying $8000 for work-authorization documents.

Rajinder Singh is accused of bribing the agent with $4000 and of participating in the filing of false amnesty applications.

Harbajan “Harry” Singh is $5000 for work authorizations cards.

Shoker is charged with conspiring to bribe the agent ad file false amnesty applications by paying $7000 for work-authorization cards for unqualified applicants.

Shariff and Baig are accused of bribing a public official by paying $5000 to the agent for five work authorization cards.

Sangha and Sodhi are charged with conspiring to bribe the agent and to file false amnesty applications. They are charged with paying $8000 for work authorization documents. Rajinder Singh is accused for bribing the agent with $4000 and of participating in the filing of false amnesty applications Harbajan “Harry” Singh is charged with bribing he agent with $5000 for work-authorization cards. Shoker is charged with conspiring to bribe the agent and file false amnesty applications by paying $7000 for work-authorization cards. Shoker also allegedly bribed the agent on two other occasions with a total of $15000.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1992