Panchkula, March 25: The Panchkula district police anti-immigration fraud unit has apprehended four individuals accused of defrauding a Ludhiana resident of Rs 12 lakh by providing a counterfeit visa for Australia. Officials stated on Wednesday that the arrests followed an investigation into a complaint filed in late February, which alleged the victim was handed forged travel documents in exchange for the significant sum.
The first arrest occurred on March 17, when a suspect identified as Harpreet was taken into custody in Ludhiana. Following a six-day interrogation period, police declared that his disclosures led to the subsequent capture of three more accomplices—Chirag Narula, Harbhajan Singh, and Neha—who were located in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Investigators affirmed that the group had been operating under the guise of an immigration consultancy to lure unsuspecting clients.
The complainant asserted that the financial loss extended beyond the initial payment, noting an additional expenditure of approximately Rs 5 lakh on travel arrangements made before the forgery was discovered. Authorities maintained that key evidence, including digital communication records and bank statements, has been secured to bolster the prosecution’s case.
A police spokesperson asserted that Rs 3.35 lakh in cash and five mobile devices were seized during the raids. While the four arrested individuals have been remanded to judicial custody, officials maintained that two other suspects remain at large. Specialized teams declared that active searches are underway to locate the remaining members of the syndicate.
