The Chandigarh police have disrupted a perfectly planned immigration scam that cheated over a hundred individuals out of lakhs of rupees. 102 passports have been retrieved, and three people—including the mastermind—have been caught.
Ashish Sharma, who claimed to have been tricked along with seven other people by Jai Karan Joshi, the owner of M/S Golden Overseas in Sector-9, Chandigarh, revealed the fraud after filing a complaint. The victims stated that they paid ₹8 lakh in total for visa services that were never provided.
Subsequent investigations revealed a complex network of deceit. Joshi, the prime suspect, operated multiple immigration offices across Chandigarh under different names, strategically opening and closing them to evade detection. His modus operandi involved enticing unsuspecting individuals, primarily from other states, through alluring advertisements and social media campaigns.
To further bolster their fraudulent operations, the scammers established a fake medical laboratory, M/S Health Care Diagno Lab, in Sector-33 D. This lab was instrumental in conducting bogus medical examinations for visa applicants, charging exorbitant fees of ₹6,000 to ₹6,500 per individual. Shockingly, unqualified personnel were employed to collect blood samples, putting the health and safety of applicants at grave risk.
The scam’s magnitude is staggering, with estimates suggesting that over a hundred people fell prey to the deception. The total amount defrauded is believed to run into several crores. In one instance, ten individuals were swindled out of ₹1 crore, with each victim parting with ₹10 lakh.
The accused have had 102 passports which were confiscated by law enforcement, and legal action has been taken against them. Arshad Khan and Mahipal Singh, Jai Karan Joshi’s accomplices, are still being held by the police for additional questioning. Joshi has been placed under judicial custody.
This instance serves as a sobering reminder of the many methods con artists use to take advantage of weak people. It highlights how important it is to move cautiously and do thorough background checks before employing immigration advisers.
The Chandigarh police have commended the complainant for coming forward and invited other victims to register complaints as well, intending to support the ongoing investigation and the prevention of such crimes in the future.
