A Kaithal family has alleged that it paid ₹25.03 lakh to two Punjab-based men who promised to send their son to Australia, only for him to be routed through Mumbai, sent to Thailand and eventually deported.
The complaint was filed by Baljit Singh, a resident of Guhna village, on behalf of his son Himanshu.
Police have booked Harman, a resident of Mansa in Punjab, and his uncle after the family accused them of taking money on the promise of arranging an Australian tourist visa and later securing a work permit.
The family says the promised Australian journey never happened.
Proposal for Conducting Cyber Crisis Drill, Tabletop Exercise (TTEx) & CCMP Readiness Exercise
₹21 lakh allegedly paid after promise of Australian work opportunity
According to the complaint, Himanshu wanted to travel abroad for employment.
The family came into contact with Harman, who allegedly assured them that Himanshu could first enter Australia on a tourist visa and later obtain a work permit.
In July 2024, Harman and his uncle allegedly collected Himanshu’s documents.
The family says it then paid around ₹21 lakh.
Himanshu was taken by car to Delhi airport, but instead of receiving a flight to Australia, he was allegedly sent to Mumbai.
After reaching Mumbai, another ₹4.03 lakh was allegedly demanded.
The complaint says he remained there for about a week and paid his own hotel, food and other expenses while waiting for further travel arrangements.
The family continued believing Australia remained the eventual destination.
In September 2024, however, Himanshu was allegedly sent to Thailand.
He was subsequently deported and returned to India.
Tourist visa-to-work-permit promise was itself a major warning sign
The alleged pitch should have raised an immediate immigration concern.
Australia’s Department of Home Affairs explicitly says that a Visitor visa or Electronic Travel Authority does not permit employment.
A person working in Australia while holding only a Visitor visa would be working unlawfully.
The government also tells travellers to apply for the visa that matches the actual purpose of their journey.
Australian work visas are separate categories and may require qualifications, employer sponsorship, nomination or other eligibility conditions.
This means a promise that someone can simply enter Australia as a tourist and automatically have that status turned into permission to work should never be treated as routine.
A person may in some circumstances apply for another visa while in Australia if eligible, but approval is never guaranteed merely because an agent has promised it.
Home Affairs also states that even people waiting for another substantive or permanent visa cannot work on a Visitor visa unless they separately hold work rights.
Family says most money was later returned
After Himanshu came back from Thailand, his family allegedly demanded the money back.
According to the complaint, the accused eventually returned ₹21.50 lakh and promised to repay the remaining amount later.
The dispute allegedly escalated when the family continued seeking the balance.
Baljit Singh claims his son was threatened with death and that his passport was also not returned.
Police will now need to establish the exact payment trail, how much money was refunded and who retained the remaining amount.
Investigators are also expected to examine the travel documents used to send Himanshu to Thailand and establish why he was deported.
Those records could reveal whether he travelled on genuine documents, what purpose was declared at immigration and whether the accused had arranged similar journeys for other clients.
Passport retention adds another serious allegation
The allegation that Himanshu’s passport was withheld is especially significant.
Australia’s own immigration guidance warns migrant workers to keep control of their passports and personal documents and states that employers or others should not take them away.
In overseas-placement frauds, control over passports can leave victims dependent on the agent handling their travel.
It can also make it harder for a person stranded abroad to change plans or independently approach immigration authorities.
Police are therefore likely to examine messages, payment receipts, flight bookings and any visa paperwork supplied by the accused.
They may also investigate whether the accused were authorised immigration or recruitment agents, and whether similar promises were made to other families.
Australia immigration scams often exploit one simple hope
The alleged fraud illustrates why overseas-employment schemes can be so effective.
Families may be willing to spend substantial savings when they believe a foreign job will transform long-term earning prospects.
Fraudsters can exploit that expectation by mixing genuine immigration language with false assurances.
A tourist visa may be real. Australia may genuinely offer several categories of work visa.
The deception lies in presenting an uncertain and regulated immigration process as something an intermediary can guarantee for a large upfront payment.
Australia’s government itself warns people to be cautious where someone demands money for a job or visa and says only authorised government processes determine visa outcomes.
For the Kaithal investigation, the key question is now whether this was one failed migration arrangement or part of a wider operation involving similar promises to other young people.
What this means for you: Never pay an agent simply because they promise that a tourist visa will later become a work permit. Check the exact visa category and work rights directly on the destination country’s official immigration website, and keep control of your passport throughout the process.
The420 Insight: Migration fraud often succeeds by selling certainty where none exists. A genuine-looking visa or flight ticket can make an illegal or impossible work promise appear credible, which is why the most important verification should happen before the first large payment.
Follow for daily updates on cybercrime, corporate fraud, DFIR, hacking, investigations, and digital forensics
