According to a complaint filed with the city crime branch, two employees and a former employee of a prominent visa service provider in Ahmedabad allegedly forged documents and fraudulently enrolled the biometrics of 28 individuals who wanted to travel to Canada.
Vyomesh Thakar, a deputy general manager with VFS Global, reported the incident to the city crime branch. The Canadian high commission notified VFS Global that although the biometric enrolments for the 28 applicants were registered with the VFS Ahmedabad office, they never received official appointment letters from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) office.
In response to the complaint, VFS Global initiated a police investigation involving a local travel agent and some employees.
Prabuddha Sen, Chief Operating Officer (South Asia) at VFS Global, emphasized the importance of visas as legal documents with significant government security implications. The company is cooperating with the relevant authorities to address the matter.
The FIR revealed that the ex-employee Mehul Bharwad, along with VFS employees Sohil Diwan and Melvyn Christi, and some travel agents, bypassed the proper procedure to enroll applicants on the system. They fraudulently obtained biometrics and provided the applicants with forged visa appointment letters.
Thakar discovered the irregularities by reviewing CCTV footage, which showed Diwan and Christi conducting the biometric enrolments when no other staff was present.
The accused allegedly collected Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 from each applicant for facilitating unauthorized biometric enrolments, which enabled desperate visa applicants to secure immediate visa appointments.
To obtain a Canadian visa, applicants need to create a profile on the IRCC website, submit required information, and undergo biometric enrolment at a VFS office. The details are then uploaded to the VFS website, and the applicant sends them to IRCC for visa processing.
VFS Global operates as an outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, with a presence in 145 countries.