Chandigarh Police arrested Ravinder Singh Brar, a 26-year-old resident of Mohali, on Wednesday, in connection with a significant immigration fraud case involving Rs1.65 crore.
Brar, the owner of BB Council, an immigration consultancy based in Sector 17, was apprehended while driving a white Mahindra Scorpio. Police found a mobile phone and 11 signed cheques of various amounts in his vehicle.
During questioning, Brar disclosed that he, along with his uncle Manpreet, launched the consultancy to defraud individuals seeking study visas. They allegedly attracted victims through social media ads, promising to obtain study visas and education loans for a registration fee ranging from Rs40,000 to Rs50,000.
They provided fake offer letters and requested additional documentation, including 60 blank cheques, chartered accountant reports, and property deeds as loan security. Furthermore, they solicited around Rs1.85 lakh for health insurance and a fee of Rs6 lakh for a Guaranteed Investment Certificate, all of which went into their company account. Investigations revealed that their firm lacked the necessary licenses to operate as an immigration consultancy, and the funds collected were misappropriated.
To date, seven FIRs have been filed against BB Council and the involved parties, including Ravinder Singh Brar, Manpreet Singh Brar, Jyoti Mehra, Pushpinder Kaur, and Rachna Kaushik, totaling around 46 complainants. Recently, 33 new complaints involving Rs82 lakh have also been lodged against the company.
After being presented in a local court on Thursday, Brar was remanded for two days, while efforts continue to capture other accomplices linked to the fraud.