The CBI has conducted searches at the premises of a private individual (an agent) based in Ludhiana in an ongoing investigation of a case related to visa fraud in the French Embassy. During the search, incriminating material was recovered along with cash amounting to of approximately Rs 70.10 lakh (in denominations of Rs. 2000/-) in a bank locker in Ludhiana.
Schengen visas in exchange for money, 6 booked
During the investigation of the aforementioned case, the involvement of a private agent based in Machhiwara, Ludhiana, in facilitating the issuance of Schengen visas to visa applicants also came to light. It was alleged that he collected cash amounts ranging from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 45 lakh from each visa applicant to secure Schengen visas from the Embassy of France in New Delhi.
The CBI had registered a case against 06 people, including two who had previously worked in the Visa Department of the Embassy of France in New Delhi, and others on allegations of visa fraud at the Embassy. It was alleged that the two accused, who worked in the Visa Department, conspired with others and committed visa fraud between January 1, 2022, and May 6, 2022. Furthermore, it was alleged that, as part of this conspiracy, applicants from Punjab and Jammu submitted fake and forged letters, purportedly written by a private company based in Bengaluru, to the Consulate General of France in Bengaluru. These letters were submitted in order to obtain Entry Visas for joining private companies in Port-Le-Havre, France. Upon being approached by the applicants, the two Embassy officials allegedly issued Entry Visas to three other accused individuals after accepting illegal gratification of Rs. 50,000 per visa. These actions were taken without the knowledge and approval of the Head of the Visa Department at the Embassy of France in New Delhi.
It was also alleged that, following the issuance of Entry Visas, the two officials displaced or destroyed the documents/files within the Visa Department. Furthermore, it was claimed that these accused individuals handled several files, most of which pertained to individuals such as young farmers or unemployed individuals from Punjab who had not previously traveled. The accused were alleged to have committed a substantial visa fraud within the Embassy's Visa Department. Earlier searches were conducted on December 16, 2022, at 06 locations including Delhi, Patiala, Gurdaspur, and Jammu at the premises of the accused. During these searches, incriminating documents/articles, including laptops, mobile phones, and suspicious passports, were recovered.
