City police say accused ran an immigration centre in Mohali and allegedly failed to arrange the promised visa
YAMUNANAGAR | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
Yamunanagar City police have arrested a Chandigarh resident in connection with an alleged ₹11.5 lakh fraud in which a young man from Thapar Colony was reportedly promised an opportunity to travel abroad for employment, police said.
According to a police spokesperson, the arrest was made under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Kamaldeep Goyal. The accused has been identified as Gaurav Kataria, a resident of Sector 9, Chandigarh. Police said Kataria was allegedly operating an immigration centre under the name Nav Immigration at SCO-16 in SAS Nagar, Mohali.
The case was registered at City Yamunanagar police station on March 20 following a complaint by Mohan Lal, a resident of Thapar Colony. Police said the complaint alleged that his son, Anshul, wanted to travel abroad for employment after completing his studies.
According to the complaint, the family came to know that Gaurav Kataria and another accused, identified as Gaurav Sharma, were involved in arranging overseas opportunities for people seeking to travel abroad. Mohan Lal said he subsequently met the two men along with his son Anshul to discuss the possibility of sending him overseas for employment.
Police said the accused allegedly told the family that they had already helped several people travel abroad and assured them that Anshul could also be sent overseas, where he would secure employment.
According to the complaint, the family relied on the assurances given by the accused and proceeded with the arrangement. Police said the accused allegedly collected a total of ₹11.5 lakh from the complainant in separate payments.
However, despite the passage of considerable time, Anshul’s visa was allegedly not arranged. When the family subsequently asked the accused to return the money, they allegedly refused to do so, according to the complaint.
The family then approached the police and submitted a complaint seeking action. Following the complaint, a police team was constituted under the leadership of Assistant Sub-Inspector Kiran Chand to investigate the allegations and trace the accused.
The investigation led to the arrest of Gaurav Kataria, police said. He was subsequently taken into custody for further investigation into the alleged financial transaction and the assurances made to the complainant regarding overseas employment.
Police said the case concerns allegations of cheating in the name of sending a person abroad for employment. Investigators are examining the circumstances in which the money was allegedly collected, the services promised by the accused and the reason the promised visa was not arranged.
The police are also expected to examine the role of the second person named in the complaint, Gaurav Sharma, as part of the ongoing investigation. Further details regarding the investigation will emerge as police verify the allegations and collect relevant evidence.
Cases involving overseas employment and immigration-related promises can involve substantial financial transactions, particularly when families are seeking opportunities for young people who have completed their education. Police have therefore urged people to exercise caution before handing over large sums of money to immigration or overseas-placement agents.
The Yamunanagar police action follows the complaint made by the family after the promised overseas opportunity allegedly failed to materialise and the money was reportedly not returned.
Station House Officer Manoj Kumar said the complaint was taken up for investigation and a team was constituted to proceed against the accused. The police team worked on the available information and subsequently arrested Kataria.
Police said the accused was allegedly running the immigration centre from Mohali, while the complainant and his son are residents of Yamunanagar. The investigation will seek to establish the complete chain of events and determine the exact nature of the dealings between the parties.
The alleged fraud came to light after Anshul’s visa did not arrive despite the payment of ₹11.5 lakh. The complainant then sought a refund, but the money was allegedly not returned, prompting him to approach the police.
Officials said the investigation remains underway and the allegations will be examined on the basis of documentary evidence, financial transactions and statements of the parties concerned.
The police spokesperson reiterated that the action was taken under the supervision of SP Kamaldeep Goyal and through the investigation team led by ASI Kiran Chand.
The case also highlights the importance of verifying the credentials of immigration and overseas employment agencies before entering into financial arrangements. Prospective applicants and their families are advised to carefully check the registration, office details, service terms and documentation of agencies before making payments.
Police said people should maintain proper records of agreements, receipts, payment details and communications with immigration consultants or overseas-placement agencies. Such documentation can prove important if a dispute or suspected fraud subsequently arises.
In the present case, police are continuing to investigate the alleged payment of ₹11.5 lakh and the assurances given to the complainant regarding Anshul’s proposed overseas employment.
The arrest of Gaurav Kataria is the latest development in the case registered at City Yamunanagar police station on March 20. Police said further investigation would be conducted according to law and additional facts could emerge as the inquiry progresses.
POD/DESK
