Police have registered a case against four persons linked to an immigration consultancy after a 33-year-old man alleged that he was cheated of ₹26.86 lakh on the promise of a Canadian job and work permit. The complainant claimed that despite repeated payments, he neither received the promised Passport Request letter nor the Canadian work permit.
Instagram Advertisement Led to Consultancy
According to police, the complainant, Jigarbhai Pravinkumar Patel, a private employee and resident of Raisan in Gandhinagar, came across an advertisement for an immigration consultancy on Instagram in July 2024 while searching for overseas job opportunities.
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Patel later visited the firm’s office in Thaltej, Ahmedabad, where he was allegedly assured that a Canadian work permit and job placement could be arranged within six to seven months. As part of the process, he was asked to pay a registration fee of ₹56,000 and submit documents, including his passport, educational certificates and work experience records.
The accused named in the FIR include Akash Panchal, a director of the consultancy currently residing in Canada, along with Darshan Mahendrabhai Panchal, Harsh Mistry and Bhargav Panchal. Police are also looking into the possible role of others connected to the firm.
Payments Made After Work Permit Assurance
According to the complaint, Patel later signed an agreement and was instructed to transfer money in Canadian dollars to an account linked to the consultancy’s Canadian entity. He allegedly paid 500 Canadian dollars initially, followed by 9,510 Canadian dollars for work permit processing and ₹11,430 for visa-related charges.
Patel alleged that after he cleared the IELTS examination with an overall band score of six, he was told that his work permit application would be submitted soon. However, he claimed that the consultancy delayed the process until the Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA, expired.
When Patel sought a fresh LMIA, the firm allegedly demanded further payments. The complaint states that on March 31, 2025, representatives of the consultancy showed him what they claimed was a visa approval video and demanded nearly ₹30 lakh more before issuing the Passport Request letter.
Cheques Dishonoured, Probe Underway
Believing the assurances, Patel mortgaged family property and obtained a ₹20 lakh loan from a cooperative bank in Visnagar. Between April 4 and April 5, 2025, he allegedly transferred multiple instalments of ₹5 lakh each through cheques issued from his and his mother’s bank accounts to accounts specified by the accused.
Despite the payments, Patel alleged that he did not receive the promised Passport Request letter or Canadian work permit. He further claimed that when he sought a refund, the consultancy assured him that the full amount would be returned if the visa could not be arranged.
In July 2025, he was allegedly issued two post-dated cheques worth ₹20 lakh as a repayment guarantee. According to the complaint, both cheques were dishonoured and repeated refund requests went unanswered.
Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including offences related to cheating and criminal breach of trust. Investigators are examining financial transactions, bank records, overseas fund transfers, documents and immigration-related material as part of the ongoing probe.
