The Chandigarh Police apprehended the main suspect in a Rs 1.65 crore immigration fraud case. The culprit, 26-year-old Ravinder Singh Brar of Mohali, was nabbed on Wednesday on a tip. Brar, the proprietor of BB Council, an immigration consultancy based in Sector 17, Chandigarh, was caught while driving a white Mahindra Scorpio. During the search of his vehicle, police recovered a mobile phone and 11 signed cheques of varying amounts.
Brar’s arrest comes as part of an ongoing investigation into a massive scam targeting individuals seeking study visas. Under interrogation, Brar revealed that he, along with his paternal uncle, Manpreet Singh, established BB Council with the intent of defrauding people. The duo reportedly targeted victims using social media ads, promising to acquire study visas and tuition financing for youngsters.
The fraudulent plan entailed demanding an initial registration fee of Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 from unwitting people. After receiving the payments, the business would send out false offer letters and request further papers, such as 60 blank checks, chartered accountant reports, and property deeds, as security for the promised loans. To further exploit their victims, they demanded health insurance fees of around Rs 1.85 lakh and a Guaranteed Investment Certificate fee of Rs 6 lahks, all of which were funnelled into their company account.
Investigations have revealed that BB Council lacked any legitimate license to operate as an immigration consultancy, and the funds collected were never used for their stated purpose. Instead, the money was diverted for personal gains by the accused.
To date, seven FIRs have been registered against BB Council and the individuals involved, including Ravinder Singh Brar, Manpreet Singh Brar, Jyoti Mehra, Pushpinder Kaur, and Rachna Kaushik. The cases involve 46 complainants, with 33 new complaints amounting to Rs 82 lakh also filed against the firm.
Ravinder was presented in a local court on Thursday and was remanded for two days. The police are continuing their investigation to apprehend other accomplices linked to the fraud. The case highlights the growing concerns around fraudulent immigration consultancies exploiting vulnerable individuals seeking opportunities abroad.
