With the arrest of six people associated with a counterfeit visa syndicate from three states, Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat, a team from the Delhi Police IGI Airport unit claimed to have unearthed an illegal factory in Surat where such forged visas were prepared.
According to the police, a Canada-bound passenger was caught with a fake Canadian visit visa affixed to his passport. During interrogation, he told the cops that an agent, Sandeep, assured him to facilitate travel to Canada with the help of his associates for Rs 18 lakh.
The agent also assured him of a job in Canada for a payment of Rs five lakh in advance while the remaining amount was payable on reaching the destination.
Based on the revelation, the police nabbed Sandeep, who confessed to being part of a syndicate that arranges fake visas for gullible travellers along with Gaurav, Nitin, Sarabjeet Kaur, Gagandeep Kaur, Deepika, and Prateek as his associates.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani, said Sarabjeet Kaur, Gagandeep Kaur, and Deepika used to post advertisements on their Instagram accounts mentioning “Providing guaranteed Canadian visas even in refusal cases” along with their contact number.
They used to share the details of their clients who would contact them on social media to Gaurav, who was working as an agent in Assandh, Haryana, and Nitin, who was also working as an agent from Mohali, Punjab, Rangnani added.
The DCP stated that Prateek used to prepare counterfeit visas in a small factory in Surat, Gujarat.
Prateek is an electrical engineer and has acquired graphic design skills. To earn easy money, he used to prepare fake visas using Corel Draw software, colour printers, lamination machines, and other necessary equipment, the officer added.
The cops have sealed their bank accounts and are probing their involvement in other such cases.