5 lose Rs 9 lakh in work visa fraud

Chandigarh: Sector 17 police have booked the owner and employees of a Sector 17–based immigration firm for allegedly cheating five people of around Rs 9 lakh by promising overseas work visas.One of the complainants, Sunil Kumar, a salon owner from Ambala, Haryana, said he wanted to go abroad for work and came across an advertisement of The Visa Capital, an immigration firm in Sector 17, on social media. He contacted the firm online and was asked to visit its Chandigarh office.Sunil said he visited the office on May 23, 2025, where employees Jag Roop Singh and Satkar Singh explained the process for a Luxembourg work visa and took his passport. He was quoted a total cost of Rs 3 lakh, with Rs 1.5 lakh to be paid in advance.The complainant later submitted required documents and paid Rs 5,000 in cash as a processing fee, allegedly without being issued a receipt. The same day, the firm arranged his medical examination at a private clinic.During a subsequent visit, Sunil was given an employment letter, which was projected as a job guarantee abroad. He then paid Rs 70,000 online and Rs 92,600 in cash, taking his total payment to Rs 1,62,600.The firm reportedly assured him that the visa would be processed within 45 days. However, Sunil alleged that whenever he approached the office for updates, he was given evasive responses and no clear information.Police said four other complainants from Punjab and Haryana made similar allegations of being duped on the pretext of securing Luxembourg work visas. After verifying the complaints, Sector 17 police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Immigration Act.