Surat Agent Swindled ₹32L by Visa Firm Owner

A visa consultancy fraud has come to light in Surat, where a local immigration consultant was allegedly duped of ₹32 lakh by a Madhya Pradesh-based visa firm operator under the pretext of securing work permits for Canada and New Zealand.

The Incident

According to Pal police officials, the complainant, Prachi Sinde, 37, who runs a consultancy named Om Holidays in the Pal area of Surat, filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Sangramsingh Kushwah, the owner of Success Immigration and Ideal Immigration & Education Services.

The fraud unfolded after Sinde was introduced to Kushwah in July 2024 through an acquaintance, a fellow visa agent who has since moved abroad. In October 2024, Sinde entered into an agreement with Kushwah to process visas for multiple clients at ₹9 lakh per candidate.

Trusting Kushwah’s credentials, Sinde forwarded client documents along with a total payment of ₹32 lakh to him in multiple transactions.

Fake Documents & Broken Promises

Kushwah allegedly provided visa copies and job offer letters, which, upon verification by Sinde and her clients, turned out to be forged and invalid. When confronted, he promised to refund the amount within 45 days, a commitment he failed to honour.

Sinde then approached the Pal police station and lodged an official complaint. Following preliminary investigations, the police arrested Kushwah and booked him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for cheating, breach of trust, and forgery.

Growing Trend of Visa Fraud

The case is part of a wider pattern of rising visa fraud cases in Gujarat and other parts of India, where agents and firms lure clients with attractive overseas job and migration opportunities—often using counterfeit documentation and fake promises.

Earlier this month, Surat police registered similar cases where victims lost ₹67 lakh and ₹81 lakh respectively in unrelated immigration scams involving Canada job offers.

Advisory for the Public

Authorities have urged the public to:

• Verify the credentials of immigration consultants.
• Avoid large upfront payments without signed legal contracts.
• Confirm job offers and visa approvals directly through official embassy or consulate channels.

Victims of such scams are encouraged to report the matter to local police stations immediately to ensure timely action and investigation.