Mumbai Police Bust Fake Visa Racket: 5 Arrested

The Mumbai Police’s crime branch has apprehended five individuals involved in a well-organized racket that preyed on the hopes and dreams of hundreds of unsuspecting victims. The operation targeted job seekers by promising them lucrative opportunities abroad, only to swindle them out of their hard-earned money.

The accused were identified as Ramkripal Kushwaha (45) from Bhiwandi, Rohit Sinha (33) from Mumbai, Ashish Mahto (30) from Delhi, Amitosh Gupta (40) from Lucknow, and Rahul Chaudhry (22) from Gaya, Bihar. Additionally, two individuals who were already in jail will be taken into custody once again, expanding the scope of the investigation.

Mumbai Police nabs fake Consultants

These criminals were booked on a range of charges, including criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, forgery under the Indian Penal Code, and relevant sections of the Indian Immigration and Passport Act. Authorities have also indicated that more individuals may be involved in this elaborate fraud.

The investigation was initiated when seven victims came forward to report their experiences, revealing the extent of the scam. According to Deputy Commissioner (Detection) Raj Tilak Roushan, the criminals’ modus operandi involved reaching out to potential victims through messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.

They would establish communication and provide a fake link that appeared authentic, displaying counterfeit visas for countries such as Azerbaijan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

Roushan explained, “The fake link would reflect the original visa, which would make it believable, and victims were often sent for medical tests to make the international job process seem more legitimate and believable.” The accused would then accept payments ranging from Rs 40,000 to 60,000 through online channels, further deepening the victims’ belief in the legitimacy of the scheme.

Remarkably, the criminals operated under various false identities and contact numbers, changing them frequently to evade detection until their crimes were committed. One of the scam offices had already been closed down, and the Mumbai office was set up in October.

Roushan urged job seekers to use legitimate recruitment channels and portals to avoid falling prey to such scams. He noted that many of the victims in this case were unemployed individuals from Mumbai who only realized they had been deceived when they reached the airport, expecting to embark on their purported international jobs.

The primary call centre for this fraudulent operation was located in Gaya, Bihar, masquerading as a fictitious entity named ‘Indian Overseas Placement Services.’ Notably, a prior office situated in Mumbai’s Ballard Estate had already been shut down by the accused.

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