India has urged that the students detained in Farmington University pay and stay scheme be released (representational image) | Photo Credit: Times Now

Washington: Indian students detained for enrolling in a fake university in a bid to continue staying in the US were 'aware' that they were committing a crime and were fraudulently trying to remain in the US- the US State Department said on Monday. 130 foreigners including 129 Indian students were arrested by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for enrolling at University of Farmington to remain in the US. The department also arrested eight Indian for running a racket to recruit Indian students to stay illegally in America by enrolling them in a fake university. The scam was unearthed by undercover investigators who, as a part of Farmington sting operation, set up a fake university to bust the racket.

The names of the eight arrested Indians include- Phanideep Karnati, 35, Santosh Sama, Avinash Thakkallapally, Aswanth Nune, Barath Kakireddy, Suresh Kandala, Prem Rampeesa and Naveen Prathipati. Karnati has been released on a bond of $10,000. Meanwhile, India has urged the US that the 129 students detained in the case be released even as those involved in running the racket continue to face trial.

According to a report by news agency PTI, the accused individuals processed fake applications of Indians with fake details and false information, in order to facilitate their entry into the US. According to a statement issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following arrests of individuals from Detroit, Florida and Virginia, the 'students' who enrolled for the said university were aware that there registering for a fake university with no classes and faculty. The investigators have alleged that the university was used by the students as a 'pay and stay' scheme to enter the US.

"Each of the foreign citizens who enrolled and made tuition payments to the university knew that they would not attend accrual classes, earn credits or make progress towards an actual degree in a particular field of study a pay to stay scheme... "Rather their intent was to fraudulently maintain their student visa status and to obtain work authorisation under the CPT program," the ICE statement said, according to PTI.