In a significant crackdown on an immigration fraud scheme, the crime branch has arrested Lieutenant Commander Vipin Kumar Dagar, a 28-year-old Navy officer, for allegedly being part of a syndicate that sent ten individuals to South Korea using forged documents. Two days later, four additional suspects were apprehended, including the mastermind behind the racket.
Among those arrested is Brahmajyoti Sharma, a 29-year-old sub-lieutenant in the Indian Navy, who was captured in Lonavala. The other three civilians—Simaran Teji (28), arrested in Pune, and Ravi Kumar and Deepak Dogra, both detained in Jammu—were also key players in the operation.
The crime intelligence unit (CIU) uncovered the syndicate after apprehending Dagar at his office in the Western Naval Command headquarters in Mumbai. The investigation revealed a coordinated approach to the crime, with Dagar allegedly acting on Sharma’s instructions.
Dagar has been placed in police custody until July 5, while Sharma and Teji were presented in a holiday court and also remanded to police custody until July 5. Sharma, stationed on INS Shivaji, was responsible for forging documents, creating necessary rubber stamps, and collecting fees from candidates.
Kumar and Dogra were brought before the court, and transit remands were secured for their transfer. Kumar sought to leave for South Korea using a visa obtained through forged documentation, while Dogra was involved in monitoring the operation and identifying potential victims seeking work visas abroad.
Teji, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, was arrested in Pune. She runs a German coaching class and was a close associate of Sharma, assisting in managing various bank accounts to funnel money from aspiring candidates. Authorities have now seized all bank accounts linked to Dagar, Sharma, and Teji.