For years, a modest home in Delhi’s bustling Tilak Nagar neighborhood blended seamlessly into its surroundings, offering no hint of the illicit empire operating behind closed doors. That unassuming house was the headquarters of Manoj Monga, a mastermind behind a sprawling Rs 100-crore fake visa racket. The recent arrest of Monga has left the Delhi Police and the entire neighborhood in disbelief.
Manoj Monga, a man who led a seemingly ordinary life, lived in that modest house with his wife, a dedicated schoolteacher, and their two children. His son, a college student in Delhi, and his daughter, who studies in Germany, appeared to lead lives typical of any family striving for a better future. But what the family and neighbors did not know was that beneath this facade, Monga was orchestrating one of the most sophisticated counterfeit visa operations ever seen in the country.
The Beginning of the Rs 100-Crore Fake Visa Racket
Manoj Monga’s descent into the world of crime began innocently enough. Once a banner maker earning a modest Rs 5,000 per assignment, he was drawn into the world of counterfeit visas when approached by agents in the fraudulent visa trade. The lure of quick money — as much as Rs 1 lakh for a single fake visa — was too tempting to resist. This step marked the beginning of his journey into what would later become a Rs 100-crore fake visa racket.
For over five years, Manoj remained elusive, carefully crafting high-quality counterfeit visas using advanced graphic design software such as Photoshop and Corel. His knowledge of design, acquired through a course he completed to perfect his skills, made him a force to be reckoned with in the illegal trade. His work was so precise that he could produce 20-30 fake visas per month, charging clients based on the urgency of their requests.
Monga’s network was vast, with agents spread across multiple states. His home-based operation was equipped with everything he needed to run this illegal business: hundreds of stamps, meticulously organized paperwork, and the software required for visa forgery. Yet, despite his success, his low profile kept him under the radar for years. He used a single phone for brief communication with agents and clients, which he would turn off immediately after each conversation, making it difficult for authorities to track him.
The Sting Operation That Brought Him Down
Manoj Monga’s empire came crashing down when an associate, already in police custody, exposed the details of his operation. After extensive investigations, it took law enforcement just 15 days to uncover the Rs 100-crore fake visa racket. The breakthrough came when the associate, under police instructions, lured Manoj into a trap. Posing as a client in need of a fake visa, the associate managed to arrange a meeting at Manoj’s home, leading the police straight to him.
What the police uncovered in Monga’s house was beyond imagination. The once-modest home was transformed into a fully operational hub for counterfeit visas. The raid revealed a treasure trove of evidence: hundreds of forged documents, stamps from different embassies, templates for quick production, and the technology that powered Monga’s highly profitable operation.
The Aftermath: A Nationwide Web of Deception
The bust of the Rs 100-crore fake visa racket shocked not only Delhi but also authorities nationwide. More than 150 agents linked to Monga’s network have been arrested so far, and investigations are ongoing. The police at IGI Airport, tasked with leading the operation, have since mapped out the intricate workings of these small-scale home offices like Monga’s, which played pivotal roles in the larger web of deception.
Authorities have called this one of the most advanced counterfeit visa operations they’ve seen, with Monga at the center, controlling a vast empire from his ordinary home. His ability to evade detection for so long was due in part to his careful attention to detail and ability to maintain a low profile, even as he accumulated unimaginable wealth.
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