Chandigarh: Immigration firm owner held for fraud, luxury cars seized

The accused, identified as Shalika Wadhwa, owner of The Sapphire Consultant, Sector 17, Chandigarh, was arrested on July 15 following a cross-border manhunt

Chandigarh Police have arrested the owner of a Sector-17 based immigration consultancy firm, who is a key suspect in a series of high-profile cases involving cheating and financial embezzlement.

As per police, Shalika Wadhwa, owner of The Sapphire Consultant, Sector 17, Chandigarh, was planning to hide in Nepal and had sold her flat in Mohali and luxury vehicles. (HT Photo)

The accused, identified as Shalika Wadhwa, owner of The Sapphire Consultant, was arrested on July 15 following a cross-border manhunt.

Wadhwa, a resident of Abohar, Punjab, was wanted in connection with multiple criminal cases registered across various police stations in Chandigarh. The charges against her include serious offences under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, and violations of the Immigration Act. The cases date back to late 2023 and early 2024, involving substantial financial frauds committed through her firm.

The breakthrough came when the immigration check post at Raxaul, near the Nepal border, detained Wadhwa based on a look out circular issued by Chandigarh Police. Acting swiftly, a team from Sector-17 police station travelled to Raxaul and secured her arrest. Following her arrest, Wadhwa was brought to Chandigarh and produced before the local court.

As per police, Wadhwa was planning to hide in Nepal and had sold her flat in Mohali and luxury vehicles.

During her initial court appearances, Wadhwa was granted a three-day police remand on July 17, which was extended by two days on July 20. As part of the ongoing investigation, police seized two luxury vehicles belonging to her—a Jaguar and a Mercedes Benz—as evidence of her ill-gotten gains.

Despite the serious charges and the substantial evidence against her, Wadhwa’s legal team filed a bail application for one of the cases (FIR dated May 15, 2024). This application was heard on June 13, and resulted in an agreement for her to settle nine similar complaints involving a total embezzled amount of ₹8.5 lakh. However, the investigation remains ongoing, and efforts are continuing to identify and apprehend other accomplices involved in the fraudulent operations.