A case of alleged fraud involving ₹30.12 lakh has surfaced in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district, where 31 young job seekers were allegedly cheated on the promise of overseas employment. Acting on a court order, Barhalganj Police have registered an FIR against the accused and launched an investigation. The complaint alleges that the accused collected passports, required documents and substantial sums of money for visa processing but failed to send the victims abroad, while the visas provided to them were later found to be forged.
According to the police, the case relates to Khakhaijakhor village under the Barhalganj police station area. Complainant Vijay Kumar Shukla alleged in his court application that local resident Wakil Nishad presented himself as an agent for overseas recruitment companies and promised to arrange foreign jobs for unemployed youths. In January 2025, 31 aspiring candidates reportedly came into contact with the accused and, trusting his assurances, handed over their passports, other required documents and money for the visa process.
The complaint states that between September 3 and November 28, 2025, Vijay Kumar Shukla transferred ₹23.62 lakh from his bank account, while another ₹6.50 lakh was transferred from the account of Musafir Yadav to the accused, taking the total amount paid to ₹30.12 lakh. It is alleged that after receiving the money, the accused provided visas and made arrangements for the victims’ travel abroad.
According to the complaint, when the group reached Kolkata Airport for departure, immigration and document verification revealed that the visas were forged. As a result, the passengers were denied travel clearance and were forced to return, leading them to suspect that they had been defrauded.
The complainant further alleged that when the victims demanded the return of their money and passports, the accused returned some of the passports but allegedly continued to retain the passports of four youths. It has also been alleged that visa pages had been torn out from some of the passports that were returned, causing additional inconvenience and loss to the victims.
The complaint further states that on May 3, 2026, Vijay Kumar Shukla and several affected youths visited the accused’s residence seeking a refund. They alleged that the accused refused to return the money and threatened to have them killed if they continued to demand repayment. After alleging that no prompt action was taken on their earlier complaint, the victims approached the court.
On June 2, 2026, the court directed Barhalganj Police to register an FIR and conduct an investigation. Following the order, police registered the case under the relevant legal provisions and began examining bank transactions, passports, the allegedly forged visa documents, digital evidence and other records to verify the allegations.
Commenting on the case, renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said that job seekers pursuing overseas employment should deal only with authorised recruitment agencies and verified employers. He advised applicants to independently verify an agent’s credentials, licence and the authenticity of the employer before handing over passports, personal documents or large sums of money. According to him, fake visas and fraudulent employment offers remain among the most common forms of international recruitment fraud, and any suspicious activity should be reported immediately to the police and the relevant authorities.
