New Delhi: A District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Chandigarh has ordered a visa consultant and a former employee to refund ₹12.35 lakh, along with interest, to a 21-year-old woman after finding that forged admission documents were used to make her believe she had secured admission to a Canadian college. The commission held the opposite parties guilty of deficiency in service and unfair trade practice.
Fake Admission Letter Issued
According to the complaint, Aastha Saini approached immigration and student visa consultancy BB Council after seeing its advertisement on Facebook promoting Canadian study visas. During the application process, the consultancy’s executive, Pushpinder Kaur, assisted her with the formalities.
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Between April and August 2022, Saini paid a total of ₹12.35 lakh for the visa process. Of this amount, ₹35,000 was transferred through a bank transaction to the account of Ravinder Singh, while the remaining ₹12 lakh was allegedly paid in cash to Pushpinder Kaur on different occasions.
The complainant stated that she was provided with an offer letter dated June 1, 2022, followed by a letter of acceptance dated June 27, 2022, indicating that she had secured admission to a Canadian educational institution.
College Denied Admission Record
After repeated delays in the visa process, Saini contacted the institution directly. The college, Academy of Learning, informed her in writing that no admission record existed in her name.
After discovering that the admission documents were allegedly fake, Saini sought a refund from the consultancy. The firm reportedly claimed that it had received only ₹35,000 and denied responsibility for the remaining amount, alleging that Pushpinder Kaur, who was no longer associated with the organisation, had acted independently.
When her refund request failed, Saini served a legal notice and subsequently approached the consumer commission.
Refund With Interest Ordered
During the proceedings, Ravinder Singh and Pushpinder Kaur did not appear before the commission despite being served notices. The commission observed that their failure to contest the allegations weighed against them and strengthened the complainant’s case.
The consumer commission relied on the written confirmation received from the Canadian institution, which established that no admission had been granted and that the documents presented during the visa process were not genuine.
Holding the parties liable for deficiency in service and unfair trade practice, the commission directed them to refund ₹12.35 lakh along with interest at 9% per annum, calculated from the dates on which each payment was made. It also awarded ₹20,000 towards compensation for mental harassment and litigation expenses. The amount must be paid within 45 days.
The case highlights the need for students planning to study abroad to independently verify admission offers and institutional correspondence before making payments to immigration or visa consultancies.
