Fake immigration agents dupe Jammu youth luring with ‘job visas’

Jammu, Jun 29: “I was promised a work permit (job visa) for Russia against a sum of around Rs 4.50 lakh or so by a Jammu based job consultancy agency, which I approached after seeing their advertisement. Initially I was asked to pay Rs 2 lakh and the rest of the amount after getting employed there in Russia. After payment of the first instalment of Rs 20000 during my first visit to the agency office, I was handed over a paper slip where it was written “Visit to employ” which, they assured, would be converted accordingly (to job visa) after reaching there (Russia). They (the agency) assured me that within 10-12 days, I would get my visa.” This was Mohan, one among scores of youth from Jammu and adjoining areas, allegedly duped by fake immigration agents of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of “job visas for Russia”, narrating his tale of woes.

After four days, Mohan got a call from the agency office to collect his visa (work permit). He was pleasantly surprised and shared this news with his friend, who after enquiring from him all details about the nature of the visa and country cautioned him to stay alert. His contention was – one could not apply for a work permit for Russia and it was sounding fishy.

“Next day when we went to the consultancy office. I was asked to pay the rest of Rs 1.80 lakh before being handed over my visa. As I insisted on seeing the visa first, I was handed over a page – a kind of form. We were shocked. We asked them to show it on immigration site. Then we were asked to wait for one hour on the pretext that my file was being prepared in the agency’s other office. We waited for three hours or so but in vain so we came back that day,’’ Mohan shared.

According to him, the next day he went along with his family. They were again asked to pay the rest of the amount first with the caution that only after payment, they could be shown his visa on the site. This alerted Mohan and his family.

“I confronted the agency on another count as well that I was promised a work permit yet it (paper shown earlier) was a kind of tourist visa. They stated that it would be converted later. Then they dropped another bombshell stating that it was not a visiting visa but it would be a “single entry visa.” On being asked to explain the nature of that visa – I was told if I came back to India in between after getting employed there, I would not be able to go back ever again. Shell-shocked and doubtful, we returned without getting a visa,” he said.

According to Mohan, after that the agency kept on calling him to clear the rest of dues, which he refused. “They even came to my house, threatened me. I did not relent. They even did not return my passport. Now I’ve come to know that some of the youth have paid them over Rs 5 lakh in lieu of nothing but harassment. Some were even deported from Delhi airport,” he stated.

Aman Kumar, a resident of Marh in Jammu district, too almost had a similar story of being duped – a notch up as he was even deported from Delhi airport.

“We were handed over the tourist visa instead of the promised work permit. We were assured that it would be converted there (as a job visa) in Russia. We were asked to tell the concerned authorities at the airport that we were going there as tourists, if asked the purpose of the visit. We’re still not aware whether the documents were forged or there was some other reason, the authorities at Delhi airport did not allow us to board the plane. They simply said that we could not fly. That was December 30, 2024, when we were deported from the Delhi airport to Jammu. When we contacted the agency, they said they would make some other arrangement,” he rues. Both of them were duped by a particular job consultancy agency.

President YuvaJatSabhaAmandeep Singh, who along with some of youth duped by this particular agency also held a protest demonstration outside Gandhi Nagar Police Station on June 24, alleged that innocent youth and their families were being robbed of their hard-earned money by such consultancy agencies as a part of “big job scam.” “Youth are promised to provide with job visas yet at the last moment after taking hefty amounts running in lakhs, they were provided with tourist visas with the demands of more money to convert them into job visas later on. Agencies promising the youth guaranteed employment in Russia, handed them forged documents thus forcing them to return defrauded and financially drained. Many parents have sold out their lands to send their wards abroad for jobs,” he stated. According to him, such complaints have been lodged in Trikuta Nagar, Gandhi Nagar and Satwari Police Stations.

“Few FIRs too have been registered yet action is awaited. We want a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be constituted on this account,” he said.

Gandhi Nagar Police Station SHO Arun Sharma, following the protest by Sabha on June 24, told media persons, “A complaint has been received and investigation has been initiated.”  Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Crime Jammu Benam Tosh, responding to related queries by Greater Kashmir, stated, “Yes, some such cases have come to our notice, though not in the case of a particular country, as is being referred to, by you. But some FIRs in cases of youth being duped in the name of job visas have been registered. In some cases, challans have also been presented. Few cases are under probe. Stringent action is being taken in such cases.” “Victims can register their FIR in this connection with the district police or can complain to the Economic Offences Wing, Crime Branch if it pertains to fake visa or forged travel documents,” SSP Benam Tosh said.