From visa dreams to police complaints: Rs 74-crore immigration fraud money, 433 cheating cases, 232 fake firms traced in Chandigarh in 5 years

Money trail and arrests

Year-wise data shows a sharp increase in the money allegedly involved in immigration fraud cases. While around Rs 1 crore was involved in 2021, the figure rose to Rs 4.93 crore in 2022 and Rs 7.77 crore in 2023. In 2024, the amount jumped to Rs 27.10 crore, followed by Rs 23.63 crore in 2025.

Meanwhile, police action also intensified in parallel, leading to the arrest of accused which increased from 12 in 2021 to 32 in 2022, 41 in 2023, and 122 in 2024, before settling at 82 arrests in 2025.

SSP Kanwardeep Kaur said the figures reflect only reported cases, with many complainants delaying approaching the police in the hope that agents would eventually fulfil their promises.

“In several instances, people come to the police only after months of follow-up, by which time the firm has shut down or the accused has disappeared,” added the SSP.

FIR highlights ongoing trend

The pattern has continued into the current year. On January 1, 2026, the Chandigarh Police registered an FIR at the Industrial Area police station under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 24 of the Immigration Act.

According to the FIR, the complainant alleged that an agent cheated him of Rs 18 lakh on the pretext of arranging a visa to go abroad. Police said the accused failed to fulfil the assurance and misappropriated the money. Investigation in the case is ongoing.

As per the police, such complaints follow a recurring pattern — promises of guaranteed visas, repeated delays citing embassy or documentation issues, and eventual closure of offices.

232 fraud immigration firms identified over five years

One of the most significant findings in the police data is the sharp rise in the number of firms involved in immigration fraud.

The records show that only four firms were identified in 2021, seven in 2022, 44 in 2023, 99 in 2024, and 78 in 2025, taking the total to 232 firms over five years. Most of these firms were found operating from prominent commercial locations, including sectors 17, 22, 34, 36, 37, 39 and 40, areas that house a large concentration of immigration consultancies, said a police official.

These offices function openly from prime sectors, creating a perception of legitimacy. Many people assume that if an office exists in a commercial hub, it must be authorised, added the police official.

Registered vs illegal firms

As per information available on the Chandigarh Police website, as of now 441 immigration companies are registered with the UT Police. In contrast, police estimates suggest that more than 200 immigration firms are operating illegally in the city without mandatory permission from the UT Administration.

In 2024 alone, the police identified 44 fraudulent firms and arrested around 100 owners and operators for running unauthorised immigration businesses.

Modus operandi

Police probes have revealed a consistent modus operandi across cases. The complainants, largely young aspirants seeking overseas opportunities, were lured with promises of guaranteed visas, foreign job placements, or admissions to overseas institutions, particularly for destinations such as Canada, Australia and European countries.

In many cases, individuals were cheated of amounts ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, while there also have been instances where a single network duped dozens of people, an official involved in immigration fraud investigations said.

Money was collected in cash or through bank transfers. Complainants were shown forged offer letters or incomplete documentation, while the process was deliberately delayed. Eventually, offices were shut, phones switched off, and the accused became untraceable, reveal police probes in multiple cases.

Victims speak

Several complainants have told the police they had taken loans based on assurances given by agents.

“They showed us success stories and documents that looked genuine, and said the visa was guaranteed. By the time we realised it was a fraud, the office had been shut,” said Saurabh Sharma, one complainant, who had paid over Rs 3 lakh for a work visa.
Another complainant, Rahul, who approached an agent in Sector 17, said repeated delays were used to buy time. “Every few weeks there was a new excuse — embassy delay, file pending, medical issue. When we finally demanded our money back, calls stopped coming through,” he said.

Verification drive underway

In response to the rising number of cases, the UT Police has launched a verification drive to identify unlicensed immigration agents operating in Chandigarh.

SSP Kaur said registration details, office addresses, financial transactions and past complaints are being scrutinised.
“Action will be taken under the Immigration Act against those found violating norms. We are also examining money trails to identify larger networks,” added the SSP.