Chandigarh [India], December 7 (ANI): The Chandigarh police on Sunday launched a coordinated operation and arrested a former employee of an immigration company who allegedly collected approximately Rs 8,09,000 from clients on the pretext of securing work-permit visas.

According to the police, the accused, identified as Neha Bhagotra alias Aastha (29), is alleged to have issued fake offer letters and diverted funds to various accounts for personal gain.

The FIR against the alleged immigration fraud was filed on December 6. The case was lodged under Sections 318(4), 336(2), and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Immigration Act, following a complaint.

Acting promptly upon receiving the complaint, the police launched a coordinated operation. After obtaining the magistrate's permission, the accused was arrested.

On Sunday, the investigation team secured two days of police remand to trace the flow of the misappropriated funds, identify potential beneficiaries, and recover the mobile phone reportedly used in the fraudulent transactions and communications.

The police reiterated their commitment to protecting citizens from immigration-related scams and assured that strict action would be taken against those exploiting individuals seeking opportunities abroad.

Further details are awaited on the matter.

Earlier in July this year, a 48-year-old man, Vikramjeet Singh, wanted in multiple immigration fraud cases involving crores of rupees, was arrested by the Lahli Police (Distt. SAS Nagar, Mohali) from Mumbai International Airport.

According to Police Post in-charge Amandeep Singh, the accused was attempting to board a flight to Kenya using a forged passport. Vikramjeet and his wife had 6-7 cases registered at different police stations across four districts in Punjab.

As per the release, Vikramjeet Singh, originally from Jalandhar, and his wife, Karamjeet Kaur, are accused of duping several people under the pretext of sending them abroad. Whenever a case was registered, they would relocate to a different district to avoid arrest. (ANI)