Booked in 3 cases of immigration fraud, Navrattan group MD arrested in Nepal

Lookout CircularThe accused, Himansh Verma, had escaped police custody by jumping from a window of his home in Sector 8 Chandigarh last year, following which the Punjab Police had even declared a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh for information on his whereabouts. Also, investigation in four more FIRs is going on against him in Patiala, Mohali and Chandigarh. Punjab Police has been intimated about his arrest in Nepal but is yet to take any step.

Navrattan group of companies has offices in Mumbai, Chandigarh and other cities.

In Jalandhar, three FIRs are pending against him at Navi Baradari police station including FIR no. 136, 150 and 177.

According to the complainant, Robin Talwar, he paid Himansh Verma Rs 80 lakh through demand draft inexchange of 58 students visas but all the visas were rejected because of forged documents attached with the visa applications.

According to Jalandhar police, Verma had sent several students to Hungary with a promise of further facilitating their entry to America via Mexico. “Verma claimed proximity to various noted singers to portray that he was taking troops of singers abroad. He would gain visas for people by claiming that they were part of the troops of these singers. The roles of various singers and officials of the Hungarian Embassy were supposed to be investigated in this case,” police said.

Confirming his arrest in Nepal recently, Jalandhar Police Commissioner Gursharan Singh Sandhu said that he has been arrested in Nepal in some other case there which has nothing to do with the Jalandhar police’s case against him.

“Legal procedures regarding this will be analysed before taking the next step,” he said.

Last year, Jalandhar police arrested him from Mumbai along with one of his accomplices for involvement in an immigration fraud where he had cheated people to the tune of Rs 1.30 crore.

He was brought to his home in Chandigarh, as he claimed to have kept certain passports at his house- cum-office in Sector 8, Chandigarh. But after reaching his home, he escaped police custody by jumping from the window under the cover of darkness. Police investigations suggested that Verma had created the Navrattan group of companies as a front to cover up his illegal business of sending people abroad.

Punjab Police had also issued his Lookout Circular (LOC).

Advocate Kanwar Cheema who is contesting the case against Verma said that there will be no reliefas the Punjab Police have a valid reason to bring him here from Nepal for further investigation.