Visa Scam: City police to invoke KCOCA against accused

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru City police decided to invoke the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) against the accused arrested in the visa scam. City police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy stated that the CCB team of the Mangaluru City police already arrested the main accused involved in the case, where over 300 people were cheated out of Rs 4 crore by promising overseas jobs.The background of the accused, who were arrested from Maharashtra, was checked. The accused have two separate cases registered against them in Mangaluru North and Navi Mumbai police stations. Since they have two cases against them, directions were given to invoke the KCOCA against them. A request in this regard was already sent to the court, the commissioner said.Under the KCOCA, the police will have special powers, and it will be difficult for the accused to get bail from the court. KCOCA can be invoked against accused who have two or more cases lodged against them, the commissioner said, warning all habitual offenders.The CCB had arrested three in connection with the visa scam involving Hireglow Elegant Overseas International (Opc) Private Limited. The arrested are Masiulla Atiulla Khan,36, from Mumbai, Dil Shaad Abdul Sathar Khan,45, a resident of Navi Mumbai, and Sahukari Kishore Kumar alias Anil Patel,34, from Dombivli, Thane.The accused opened an office of Hireglow Elegant Overseas International (Opc) Private Limited at Bendoorwell in the city, offering overseas jobs. They collected money from people and allegedly cheated them by not providing overseas job visas. Mangaluru East police registered a case under Sections 316(2), 318(4), read with 3(5) of the BNS.