Acting tough after the racket came to light, the American Administration has slapped a lifetime ban on nearly 200 personalities from the film industry from travelling to the US for having used "false credentials" to apply for visas to that country.

Flora Shiny (29), who is alleged to be involved in human trafficking, was held along with two others on Tuesday for furnishing fake documents to the US consulate in Chennai, police said on Wednesday. She has been remanded to 15-days judicial custody.

The US Consulate said in a statement that its Fraud Prevention Unit had uncovered the racket in which film actors and directors used their positions to lend credibility to a second unqualified applicant.

The unqualified applicants had paid up to Rs.five lakh to a "visa consultant" and the accompanying actor or director, it said.

It said immigration records showed that the majority of those who received visas were illegally present in the US. Their identities have been passed on to US law enforcement authorities. However, in accordance with US law, the Consulate did not disclose to the public the names of visa applicants, the statement said.

Consul General David Hopper said it is unfortunate that some people in the industry have misused the well-earned reputation and stature of the Indian film industry for illegal purposes. Hopper said the Consulate's action should not be viewed as condemnation of the South Indian film industry.

The Consulate acknowledged the artistic and commercial successes that had made this industry known and admired around the world, he added.

"We also recognize and welcome the increasing technical and artistic collaboration between Indian filmmakers and the film industries in other countries, including the US Consular Chief Mark Fry said applicants should strictly avoid documents sold by document vendors or brokers and should only submit genuine documents.