NRI doctor falls for fake Indian visa

Police investigations revealed that she had applied for an e-visa through a website that she thought was genuine but it turned out to be a spoof of the real one.

Mumbai: A non-resident Indian (NRI), who came to India from Michigan for her cousin’s wedding, was shocked after her 12-year-old daughter was stopped at the Mumbai airport for holding a bogus visa. Police investigations revealed that she had applied for an e-visa through a website that she thought was genuine but it turned out to be a spoof of the real one.

The police said that Dr Walvekar’s cousin was getting married on Wednesday and she wanted to get her daughters along with her. However, her eldest daughter Jiya did not have an Indian visa and Dr Walvekar searched online for the Indian government website where she could apply for an e-visa for her. (Image for representation)

According to the police, the victim’s mother – Karishma Walvekar – is a native of Madhya Pradesh and stays with her husband and three children in Michigan, USA, and works as a doctor. The police said that Dr Walvekar’s cousin was getting married on Wednesday and she wanted to get her daughters along with her. However, her eldest daughter Jiya did not have an Indian visa and Dr Walvekar searched online for the Indian government website where she could apply for an e-visa for her.

“I found a website named indian-onlinetravel.com and submitted my application there. I was directed to a payment portal, where I paid $131.99 and received a message saying that the visa was under process. Subsequently, I flew to Mumbai and landed on December 11. When immigration officials asked for our documents, I showed them the message I had received saying that Jiya’s e-visa was under process. They examined it and told me that it was bogus,” Dr Walvekar has told the police in her statement.

The immigration authorities subsequently contacted the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Mumbai and issued a three-day temporary landing permit to Dr Walvekar, so that she could book a return flight to the USA. She subsequently approached the Sahar police and registered an FIR.

“Since the complainant was in the US when she found the spoof website and made the payment, the offence has occurred in their jurisdiction,” said Sanjay Govilkar, senior police inspector, Sahar police station. “We have registered a case but she has also informed us that she will be filing a complaint with her local police station. Since the place of offence is in another country, transferring our FIR to their police station is also not an option.”

An FIR has been registered for cheating and forgery against an unknown person under the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.

HT tried reaching out to Dr Walvekar through Facebook and Instagram but received no response.