MOHALI, June 2: Police have filed a fraud case against the director of a Mohali-based immigration firm, Venture of Pacific, for allegedly deceiving a Karnal resident out of ₹1.56 lakh on the promise of securing a work permit for Australia.
The complaint was lodged by Neeraj, a resident of Basant Vihar in Haryana’s Karnal district. Neeraj told police that he came across an advertisement on social media by the immigration firm, which claimed a “100% visa approval success rate.” Drawn by the offer, he visited the company’s office in Phase-1, Mohali.
“At the office, a staff member named Shweta demanded ₹8.1 lakh to facilitate the visa process,” Neeraj said. He first paid ₹6,000 as a registration fee. Days later, another employee, identified as Vinay, allegedly provided him with a forged Australian work permit and collected a cheque for the full amount. Neeraj said he was later instructed to deposit ₹1.56 lakh into a designated bank account, which he did.
Following the payment, the company reportedly stopped responding to his calls and messages. Suspecting he had been cheated, Neeraj approached the police and filed a formal complaint.
Based on his statement and preliminary findings, police registered an FIR against the firm’s director under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 24 of the Immigration Act.
“We’ve begun a detailed investigation and are working to locate the accused,” said a senior police official. “We’re also examining whether others may have been targeted in a similar manner.”
Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution and verify the credentials of immigration agencies before entering into financial agreements or making payments.
