Hyderabad: A Hyderabad-based company issuing fake education and job experience certificates for people to obtain visas was busted by Chennai police on Saturday, October 26. Police seized various equipment, including computers, CPUs, laptops, printers, counterfeit seals, and over 90 fake documents.
The forgery investigation wing (FIW) of the central crime branch (CCB) initiated the probe following a complaint from the overseas criminal investigator at the US consulate in Chennai on October 22.
The complaint detailed that Ajaykumar Bhandari had applied for a work visa using a fraudulent diploma from the Gandhi Institute of Technical and Management and a fake job experience certificate from the Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre.
Investigations revealed that these bogus certificates were issued by a Hyderabad firm, Dream for Overseas Consultancy Private. After questioning Bhandari, police uncovered the involvement of Balanandeshwara Rao, the firm’s operator.
A special FIW team travelled to Hyderabad, where they arrested Rao and his associate, Kopse Mahesh, 49, who managed Sybell Technologies in Nizamabad.
According to reports, the accused charged between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh per person for the fraudulent certificates.
The police have issued a public advisory urging people to avoid unauthorized agents or intermediaries promising expedited visa processing.