A 38-year-old Kanyakumari native, Sujin S from Manjalumoodu, has been arrested for possessing a fake Schengen visa, leaving investigators struggling to trace the fraudsters behind the elaborate scam. Sujin was detained on May 20 after being deported from Sharjah when authorities identified his visa as counterfeit.
What has puzzled the police is that Sujin had verified the visa’s authenticity with the Slovakian Embassy before travelling. Believing everything was in order, he proceeded with the journey after paying Rs 7 lakh to an agency in Angamaly. The fraud was initiated after Sujin’s brother responded to an online advertisement promoting visa services.
The counterfeit visa was sophisticated enough to pass initial scrutiny, adding to the complexity of the case. Although Sujin has been charged under several Sections of the Immigration Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to cheating and forgery, investigators say available evidence strongly suggests he is actually a victim of an organised immigration racket.
The alleged scammers operate out of Kalamassery in Ernakulam, but remain untraceable— their phones are switched off and no functioning office has been found. Police continue their search, hoping for a breakthrough in identifying the individuals behind the fake visa syndicate.
