New Delhi [India]: A Nepali national has been arrested from a hideout in Delhi for operating a fake visa racket. He used to lure people with the promise of easy money and a better livelihood abroad, according to the Delhi Police.
The accused, identified as Sunil Thapa, was arrested for arranging a fake Hong Kong visa on an Indian passport for a female Nepalese passenger with the help of his associates.
“One female passenger, namely Sabina Gurung, holding an Indian passport, arrived at IGI Airport, Delhi, from Hong Kong on August 5, 2024”, said an official of Indira Gandhi International Airport Police Station.
During scrutiny of her travel documents, the passenger was found to be a Nepali national who fraudulently obtained an Indian passport.
“A case with FIR number 563/2024 under sections 318(4)/336(3)/340(2) BNS and the 12 PP Act was registered on August 4, 2024, at PS IGI Airport, New Delhi, and an investigation of the case was taken up,” added the police.
During the investigation of the case, Sabina Gurung (27), a resident of Nalma district, Lamjung, Nepal, was arrested.
On interrogation, she disclosed that she wanted to go abroad for a better livelihood but she was told by some friends that it was very difficult to go abroad on a Nepali passport and that she could go easily on an Indian passport.
“She further disclosed that in the year 2018, one of her relatives arranged an Indian passport for her based on fake documents,” said the police.
The passenger further disclosed that later she met the accused agent, Sunil Thapa, who had been working in Delhi for the last few years, after which he arranged a Hong Kong visa for her journey in lieu of Rs 1 lakh.
She went to Hong Kong on a work visa in December 2023 and came back in Jan 2024. The passenger also revealed that in September 2024, the agent Sunil Thapa again arranged a Hong Kong visa for her journey with the help of his associates, in lieu of Rs 1 lakh but her entry was denied at Hong Kong Airport due to the fake visa.
Thereafter, human intelligence was gathered and based on local intelligence and technical surveillance and after sincere and dedicated efforts, accused agent Sunil Thapa alias Raj (28), a resident of Village Butwal, Rupandehi district, Nepal, was nabbed from one of his hideouts in Delhi on the instance of the passenger arrested in the case.
On sustained interrogation, he confessed his guilt and revealed that he had studied up to 7th grade and that some of his friends were working as agents who used to dupe people on the pretext of sending them abroad. So, he also started working with them on a commission basis.
The accused further disclosed that he, along with the help of his associates, arranged a fake Hong Kong visa for her journey in lieu of Rs 1 lakh.
An investigation of the case is in progress to unearth the involvement of other associates, scrutinize the bank accounts of the accused persons, and trace his possible involvement in other similar complaints or cases as well.