The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted searches on the premises of a suspect in Ludhiana in connection with an ongoing probe into visa fraud in the French Embassy.
During the search, the agency seized about ₹70.10 lakh from a bank locker. The accused has been identified as Balwinder Singh Bartia.
According to the CBI, it zeroed in on Mr. Bartia after his alleged role in facilitating issuance of Schengen visas to the applicants came to light. “It was alleged that he collected cash ranging from ₹25 lakh to ₹45 lakh from each applicant for getting a Schengen visa from the Embassy of France [Delhi],” said an official.
The CBI had registered the case against six private persons, including two who earlier worked in the Visa Department of the Embassy of France, and unknown others. As alleged, the two accused conspired with the others and perpetrated visa fraud between January 1, 2022, and May 6, 2022.
Forged letters
In pursuance to the alleged conspiracy, applicants from Punjab and Jammu had submitted forged letters purportedly written by a Bengaluru-based company to the Consulate General of France (Bengaluru) for issuing entry visas, showing that the applicants would be joining private companies in Port-Le-Havre, France.
On being approached by the applicants, the then two officials in the Visa Department of Embassy allegedly issued entry visas in favour of three other accused after taking an illegal gratification of ₹50,000 per visa, without the knowledge and approval of the Head of Visa Department, Embassy of France, as alleged.
It was also alleged that after issuance of entry visas, the accused officials displaced or destroyed the documents and files from the Visa Department. The agency found that several files were allegedly handled by them which mostly pertained to young farmers or unemployed people from Punjab who had not earlier travelled.
Earlier on December 16, 2022, the CBI had searched six locations in Delhi, Patiala, Gurdaspur and Jammu.
