Court grants bail to one more accused arrested in South Korea visa racket

A Mumbai court granted bail to Simran Teji, accused in a trafficking case to South Korea, citing insufficient evidence of her involvement in document forgery.

Mumbai: Five days after a sessions court granted bail to 28-year-old lieutenant commander Vipin Kumar Dagar, an Indian Navy officer accused of masterminding the South Korea trafficking case, the court granted bail to another accused Simran Teji, one of five individuals arrested by the Mumbai crime branch.

Court grants bail to one more accused arrested in South Korea visa racket

The syndicate allegedly trafficked individuals to South Korea on forged tourist visas, charging exorbitant fees for the illegal operation.

In its November 22 order, the court noted that Teji was not directly involved in forging documents and granted her bail. The prosecution had alleged that Teji handled the financial transactions of the racket but failed to establish her direct involvement in creating or submitting fake documents.

According to the Crime Intelligence Unit’s investigation, the group smuggled unskilled labourers from India to South Korea, encouraging them to seek asylum by falsely claiming persecution and human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Investigators revealed that the syndicate charged over ₹10 lakh per person and had trafficked more than 15 individuals using forged documents. The scam surfaced in June when Dagar visited the Republic of Korea consulate in Mumbai to follow up on a visa application. Suspicious consulate officials alerted the crime branch, which uncovered the forged papers and initiated an FIR at the MRA Marg Police Station.

The five accused include Dagar, sub-lieutenant Brahma Jyoti Sharma, Teji, Ravi Kumar, and Deepak Dogra. Investigators claim Dagar approached the consulate in May, allegedly posing as a relative of Ravi Kumar and submitting dubious documents to secure a visa. Upon verifying the paperwork, consulate officials found them to be fraudulent.

The prosecution argued that Teji, based in Pune, managed the financial aspects of the operation, collecting payments from aspiring migrants and transferring them to her bank account. Allegedly, she was in close contact with the other accused, including Sharma, a close associate. Despite these allegations, the court found insufficient evidence linking Teji to document forgery or direct criminal involvement.

The defence maintained that Teji was falsely implicated and highlighted her willingness to cooperate with the investigation. They argued that she played no role in creating or submitting fake documents and noted that another accused, Ravi Kumar, had already been granted bail.

Sessions Judge V M Pathade, citing the charge sheet, stated, “It is not the case that the applicant/accused was involved in preparing any false or fabricated documents.” The court, however, underscored that Teji must ensure her compliance with investigation requirements and refrain from influencing witnesses.

The case highlights the growing challenges of transnational crime and visa fraud, with authorities vowing stricter vigilance at diplomatic missions. Further hearings are expected as investigations into the racket continue.