Chandigarh Police Busts Major Immigration Fraud Ring Promising Fake Work Visas
In a major breakthrough, the Chandigarh Police's cyber cell has dismantled an extensive immigration fraud network, arresting six individuals, including two women.
In a major breakthrough, the Chandigarh Police's cyber cell has dismantled an extensive immigration fraud network, arresting six individuals, including two women. The ring, operating under the guise of a visa consultancy, duped more than 40 victims out of approximately ₹65 lakh by promising fraudulent work visas to foreign countries.The scam came to light after Ganeshmal, a resident of Rajasthan, lodged a complaint against “Global Consultant,” a visa consultancy located at SCO Number 292, Sector 32-D, Chandigarh. Ganeshmal had been enticed by an advertisement on Facebook that promised work visas to Azerbaijan. After visiting the consultancy's office with his son-in-law, they were assured that their visas would be processed for ₹1.35 lakh per person, with half of the payment required upfront.Despite paying the full amount, Ganeshmal and his family were shocked when they arrived at the Delhi airport on June 15, only to discover that their tickets were fake. All attempts to contact the consultancy failed, leading to the investigation.The primary accused, Sanjeev Kumar, a 43-year-old resident of Sikar, Rajasthan, was identified as the mastermind behind the scam. He instructed his staff to use fake names and documents to avoid detection. Kumar never met clients directly and, after the scam was exposed, he shut down the office and reopened another consultancy under the name "DreamLand Immigration" in Sector 34.Two men, Lakhvir Singh, 27, from Rupnagar, and Vicky, 28, from Mohali, served as bodyguards, handling disgruntled clients who realised they had been defrauded. Meanwhile, Navpreet, 34, from Manimajra, along with Monika, 24, and Mehak Kapoor, 26, both receptionists at the consultancy, helped in the day-to-day operations of the fraudulent scheme.The police seized 15 mobile phones, 15 SIM cards, three stamps, and five reception registers during the arrests. According to the investigation, the consultancy used social media platforms and a professional-looking office setup to lure unsuspecting victims, promising visas to various foreign countries. The fraudulent nature of the scheme was only revealed when the victims reached the airport with fake tickets.This arrest marks a significant step in combating the growing trend of immigration fraud, as police continue efforts to recover stolen funds and locate additional victims of the scam.
