Mohali: Immigration firm director booked for ₹1.56-lakh fraud

The complaint was filed by Neeraj, a resident of Basant Vihar, Karnal (Haryana), who alleged that he was lured by a social media advertisement posted by Venture of Pacific, an immigration firm operating out of Phase-1, Mohali

Police have registered a case of fraud against the director of an immigration company for allegedly duping a man of ₹1.56 lakh under the pretext of arranging an Australian work permit.

The accused has been booked under Sections 316(2), 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 24 of the Immigration Act. (HT Photo)

The complaint was filed by Neeraj, a resident of Basant Vihar, Karnal (Haryana), who alleged that he was lured by a social media advertisement posted by Venture of Pacific, an immigration firm operating out of Phase-1, Mohali. The ad falsely claimed a 100% success rate in visa approvals.

Neeraj stated that upon visiting the company’s office, an employee named Shweta demanded ₹8.1 lakh for facilitating the visa process. He initially paid ₹6,000 as a registration fee. A few days later, another employee, Vinay, handed him a forged Australian work permit and accepted a cheque for the full amount. He was then instructed to transfer ₹1.56 lakh to a specified bank account, which he did. After receiving the funds, the accused reportedly stopped responding to calls and messages. Realising he had been defrauded, Neeraj filed a formal complaint with the police.

Following a preliminary investigation, police registered an FIR against the company’s director and launched further inquiry. Police officials said efforts are ongoing to trace the accused and assess the full scale of the fraud. They have also urged the public to verify credentials of immigration firms before making payments or signing agreements.

The accused has been booked under Sections 316(2), 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 24 of the Immigration Act.