Hisar, Haryana – In a case highlighting the dangers of unscrupulous travel agents, two young men from Hisar district have been defrauded of ₹12.4 lakh. The victims, Naresh Kumar of Rajpura village and Ashok Kumar of Sainipura village, were allegedly promised work visas in Croatia by Mandeep Singh, a travel agent from Rohtak district.
Deceptive Promises and Invalid Documents
According to a police complaint filed in January 2023, Mandeep Singh convinced Naresh and Ashok that he could secure work visas for them in Croatia. Each victim paid ₹6.2 lakh for this service. Believing Mandeep’s assurances, they flew from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) to Croatia on February 3rd, 2023. However, upon landing in Munich, Germany, their visas were deemed invalid. This resulted in an 18-hour detention by German authorities before they were deported back to Delhi.
Second Attempt at Fraud and Police Action
The ordeal did not end there. The victims allege that Mandeep attempted to deceive them a second time upon their return to Delhi. He reportedly provided them with fabricated documents claiming they were now headed to Azerbaijan on tourist visas, not work visas. Fortunately, Naresh and Ashok did not fall for this further attempt.
The victims have reported receiving threats from Mandeep Singh when they demanded the return of their money. Thankfully, the Narnaund police have registered a case of fraud against the accused travel agent.
Importance of Due Diligence
This incident serves as a stark reminder for job seekers to exercise caution when dealing with travel agents promising overseas employment. It is crucial to verify the agent’s credentials and thoroughly research the legitimacy of any offered visas before making any financial commitments.
Unlicensed Agent, Work Visa Fraud, Alert, Legal Charges, Immigration Scam