Mumbai, Sep 26 (PTI) The Mumbai police have arrested two persons, including a 23-year-old man from Gujarat, for allegedly submitting a forged letter to secure an American visa, officials said on Saturday.
The accused have been identified as Harshkumar Thakor, a resident of Gojariya in Gujarat’s Mehsana district, and an agent, Vinay Pathak.
The action was taken following a complaint lodged by an overseas criminal investigator at the US Consulate located in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) area, they said.
The alleged fraud came to light during Thakor’s visa interview when consulate officials grew suspicious of a joining letter purportedly issued to him by the India office of a shipping company.
When consulate staff emailed a copy of the letter to the company for verification, they were informed that Thakor was not an employee and no such visa support letter or employment document had been issued to him, police said.
During preliminary investigation, police found that Pathak allegedly fabricated documents for Thakor. The complaint said the duo had exchanged WhatsApp messages, with Thakor agreeing to pay Pathak once the visa was processed.
Police said Thakor has an Indian passport issued in Ahmedabad. A hunt has been launched to trace Thakor’s uncle, who reportedly introduced him to Pathak.
The arrested duo was produced before a court in Bandra, and further probe is underway, they added. PTI ZA NR
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