With hundreds of Indian students of California-based Tri Valley University facing an uncertain future, the government said on Wednesday that it has asked the US authorities to treat them as victims of fraud and allow them to study elsewhere in that country.

Overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi, replying to a question in Lok Sabha, said the matter had been taken up with the US Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement requesting them to treat the students as "victims of fraud and not criminals".

Tri Valley University (TVU) was shut down on charges of massive visa fraud. This affected hundreds of Indian students, who were studying in the university.

Ravi said the government has also requested the US authorities to allow the students to pursue studies in other American universities.