When Australian citizen Vikas Mahajan travelled to India in February with his wife and two small children to help look after his elderly parents, he did not expect to be caught up in the country’s devastating second wave – or to be banned from returning home to Melbourne. “We’re feeling betrayed and unfairly targeted by the federal government’s controversial decision..
The New Zealand Police were aided with cooperation form the Australian Federal Police’s newly-formed Fugitive Action Strike Team (FAST) which tracked and located the male in the state of Victoria, Newman said. “These transnational syndicates work across borders and have relied previously on the difficulties of Law Enforcement from different countries working across different jurisdictions,” Newman said.
NZ POLICE/SUPPLIED
Police have also seized over $1million in cash during their investigation. The detective inspector said this latest arrest was a great example of both countries are working together to hold transnational criminals to account. According to the Australian Associated Press the man had moved to a rural Victorian town in 2019 before he was arrested on April 29 and is now subject to an extradition process to New Zealand.
Views: Visits 12
Australian residents and citizens who have been in India will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday, 3 May, and those who disobey will face fines and jail, government officials said.
The temporary “emergency determination”, issued late on Friday, is the first time Australia has made it a criminal offence for its citizens to return home.
The move is part of strict measures to stop travellers to Australia from the world’s second-most populous nation as it contends with a surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths.
Health minister Greg Hunt announced that anyone attempting to defy the new rules would be hit with fines of up to 66,600 Australian dollars ($51,800), five years in prison, or both, the Australian Associated Press reported.
Australians traveling from India treated as criminals
May 1, 2021
A temporary emergency declaration was announced yesterday that goes into effect starting Monday, May 3.
Some are calling the move racist and outrageous.
This temporary “emergency determination” issued late on Friday is the first time Australia has made it a criminal offence for its citizens to return home. Any Australian resident or citizen trying to return from India will be banned from entering their home country and may also face fines and jail time.
The move is part of strict measures to stop travelers to Australia from the world’s second most populous nation as it contends with a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.