E-Paper
Chandigarh: Three travel agents booked for fake visa letters
A firm launched a complaint after encountering three separate clients who were provided with fraudulent documents by the Chandigarh-based travel agents
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has registered a case against three travel agents in the city following a complaint from a Delhi-based firm.
The firm reported that these agents were involved in manipulating documents, including creating “fake and edited” appointment letters required for visa applications. The complaint was lodged after the firm encountered three separate clients who were provided with fraudulent documents by the Chandigarh-based travel agents.
According to complainant Anand Singh from VFS Global, New Delhi, the fraud came to light when three separate visa applicants visited their office in Connaught Place, New Delhi, for document verification. During routine checks, their appointment letters, required for visa applications to Poland, Germany, and Lithuania, respectively, were found to be forged or edited. The forged documents were linked to different travel agents operating from Chandigarh.
The first incident occurred on July 2, when a Punjab resident, Gursharan Singh, applied for a visa to Poland. Verification at VFS Global office revealed that his appointment letter had been manipulated. Upon inquiry, Gursharan disclosed that he had obtained the forged document from a travel agent named Kamal Kumar, who runs a travel agency in Sector 40-C, Chandigarh.
On July 16, a second case emerged when Gurjant Singh, also from Punjab, submitted documents for obtaining a German visa. His appointment letter too was found to be fake. Further questioning revealed that Gurjant had received the fraudulent document from Anas Khan of Bishop Immigration, Sector 40-C, Chandigarh.
The third incident took place on July 26, involving another Punjab resident Gurpreet Singh. He applied for a visa to Lithuania, only for his documents to be flagged during verification due a forged appointment letter. Gurpreet identified his agent as Jaspreet Kaur of Veracity Overseas, a travel agency located in Piccadily Square Mall, Chandigarh.
Police have registered a case under Sections 318 (4), 338, 336 (3) and 340 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the EOW police station.
