The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a chargesheet against eight accused, among them a Local Law Officer at the French Embassy in New Delhi and three of his family members, in a sprawling visa fraud targeting aspiring travellers from Punjab. The accused are alleged to have arranged Schengen visas in exchange for payments ranging from ₹13 lakh to ₹45 lakh per applicant, systematically defrauding visa seekers over 16 months.
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Deep Network of Agents and High-Value Charges
During its probe, the CBI uncovered that the accused had colluded with visa agents based in Punjab to solicit large sums from hopeful applicants. Using official influence and forged documentation, they secured legitimate Schengen visas and then destroyed associated application files to conceal their tracks. The chargesheet also states that money was funnelled through complex channels involving agents and intermediaries, ultimately enriching the French Embassy official, who allegedly amassed around ₹15.7 crores worth of property in Dubai via illicit proceeds.
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CBI Seeks Interpol Help to Freeze Assets Abroad
In a groundbreaking move, the CBI obtained India’s first-ever Interpol Silver Notice, seeking assistance to trace and recover assets parked overseas. Searches conducted in Delhi and Punjab yielded large cash sums, property documents, and evidence of extensive money laundering operations. The investigation details the law officer’s involvement between January 2021 and May 2022 and highlights the central role played by the embassy insider in giving the visa racket legitimacy.
As legal proceedings advance in a special CBI court in Delhi, authorities are poised to press multiple charges, including defrauding applicants, corrupt misuse of position, document tampering, and money laundering. The case shines a spotlight on vulnerabilities within diplomatic visa issuance processes, raising urgent questions about internal controls at foreign missions and the need for enhanced transparency to protect applicants.
About the Author – Anirudh Mittal is a B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, with a keen interest in corporate law and tech-driven legal change.