The Cyber Crime Police Station in Mohali has registered a formal case against the owners of a local immigration consultancy firm for allegedly defrauding a man of a staggering sum of Rs 21 lakh. The complaint centers on false promises of securing a work visa for the United Kingdom, which never materialized.
The Web of Deceit: False Promises and Forged Documents
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the victim, identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Amritsar, was ensnared by the owners of Skyways Immigration and Study Abroad Consultancy. The firm is operated by Jaspreet Singh and his wife Jaswinder Kaur, both residents of Mohali's Phase 3B2. The complaint states that the accused duo convinced Gurpreet Singh that they could obtain a legitimate work visa for him to move to the UK.
Acting on this assurance, the victim paid them a total of Rs 21,00,000 between November 2022 and March 2023. The police investigation, based on the filed complaint, reveals that the accused provided the complainant with a counterfeit certificate of sponsorship and other fabricated documents related to the UK work visa. When the promised visa failed to materialize and the suspect documents were exposed, the accused cut off all communication, leaving the victim both financially and emotionally devastated.
Legal Reckoning: FIR and Charges Applied
Following a thorough probe into the allegations, the Mohali Cyber Crime police have taken decisive legal action. An FIR has been officially registered under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The charges invoked are serious and include:
- Section 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property)
- Section 467 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.)
- Section 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating)
- Section 471 (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record)
- Section 120-B (Criminal conspiracy)
The registration of this FIR marks the beginning of the formal legal process against Jaspreet Singh and Jaswinder Kaur. Police authorities are now expected to pursue the investigation, which may involve gathering further evidence, recording detailed statements, and ultimately apprehending the accused to present them before the court.
A Cautionary Tale for Aspiring Immigrants
This case highlights the persistent risks within the immigration consultancy sector, where individuals' dreams of a better life abroad are often exploited. The incident serves as a stark warning for anyone seeking immigration services to exercise extreme caution.
Prospective applicants are advised to conduct exhaustive background checks on consultancies, verify their credentials with official bodies, and be wary of agents who guarantee visas or demand large upfront payments. The Mohali police's action demonstrates that such fraudulent activities can lead to serious criminal charges. For Gurpreet Singh, the legal battle to seek justice and recover his substantial financial loss is now underway.
