Ahmedabad. The CID Crime, Ahmedabad Zone, has registered a case against four people for allegedly cheating multiple applicants of ₹81.95 lakh on the promise of arranging New Zealand work visas and jobs. The accused allegedly used social media advertisements, attractive salary offers, fake employment documents and assurances of overseas work permits to convince applicants to make large payments.
The accused have been identified as Vaibhav Dineshkumar Prajapati and Akhil Subhashbhai Chatur of Ahmedabad, Oish Ali Akbar Ali Hasanwala of Banaskantha and Ahmed Aflak of New Delhi. The case was registered following a complaint by 44-year-old Vipulbhai Navinchandra Prajapati, a resident of Kalol in Gandhinagar district.
Facebook Advertisement Promised ₹2.5 Lakh Monthly Salary
According to the complaint, Vipul came across a Facebook advertisement in October 2023 offering a three-year New Zealand work permit and a monthly salary of around ₹2.5 lakh. He contacted Vaibhav through the phone number mentioned in the advertisement.
Vaibhav allegedly met him at an office located in World Trade Tower on the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway. He allegedly claimed that his group could arrange work, student and visitor visas for New Zealand, Australia, Canada and European countries.
The complainant was allegedly assured that his New Zealand work permit would be arranged within three to four months. The promise of a high-paying overseas job reportedly convinced him to proceed with the application.
Applicants Asked to Pay More Than ₹21 Lakh
Vipul later introduced his brother-in-law to Vaibhav, who allegedly made similar promises to him. The two applicants were asked to provide passports and educational certificates and pay registration charges.
Separate memoranda of understanding were subsequently signed, with the total fee for each applicant fixed at approximately ₹11.10 lakh.
The applicants were allegedly told that they would have to undergo an assessment by the prospective employer before receiving job offers. When Vipul reportedly informed Vaibhav that he did not have an experience certificate, he was allegedly told that an experience letter could be arranged according to the requirements of the proposed employer.
Zoom Interview and Allegedly Forged Documents
On December 6, 2023, Vipul allegedly appeared for an interview conducted in English through a Zoom video call. The interview was presented as part of the overseas recruitment process.
The applicants were subsequently shown documents that purportedly included a New Zealand company’s job offer letter and visa-related paperwork. According to the complaint, the documents were forged and were allegedly used to create the impression that the promised employment and work permits were genuine.
Vipul and his brother-in-law allegedly paid ₹21.20 lakh to the accused through a combination of cash payments and bank transactions.
Other Applicants Allegedly Paid ₹60.75 Lakh
Investigators said other applicants, who have been cited as witnesses in the case, allegedly paid another ₹60.75 lakh to the accused. This brought the total amount allegedly collected from the applicants to ₹81.95 lakh.
Of the total amount, approximately ₹11.40 lakh was allegedly returned, leaving around ₹70.55 lakh outstanding.
The complainant alleged that despite repeated assurances, the promised New Zealand work permits were never processed and the remaining money was not returned.
Investigation Underway
The CID Crime has begun an investigation into the allegations. Investigators are expected to examine the financial transactions, agreements, communication records and documents shown to the applicants to establish how the alleged fraud was carried out.
The role of each of the four accused and whether other people were involved will also be examined during the investigation.
The case highlights the risks faced by people seeking overseas employment through social media advertisements. Applicants are advised to independently verify foreign employers, recruitment agencies, visa processes and employment documents before making large payments or handing over passports and other original documents.
Authorities are also expected to scrutinise the alleged use of forged documents and the flow of funds received from multiple applicants as the investigation progresses.
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About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
