Barinderjit.SalujaMohali: A local court in Mohali has convicted an immigration agent in a case of cheating involving promises of sending a person abroad and sentenced him to three years of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 1.02 lakh.The case was registered at Mataur police station on Jan 18, 2024, and relates to an alleged fraud of Rs 19 lakh. The court of additional chief judicial magistrate convicted Chhavi Sharma, a resident of Sector 48, Chandigarh, under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 24 of the Immigration Act.As per the sentencing order, the accused was awarded three years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 1 lakh for the offence of cheating under Section 420 of the IPC. He was also sentenced to one year of imprisonment and fined Rs 2,000 under provisions of the Immigration Act. The court directed that the total fine amount be paid to the complainant as compensation.According to the prosecution, the case dates back to November 2022, when the complainant approached Star Future Education and Immigration Services, located in Sector 70, Mohali, to secure an Australian study visa for his daughter. The accused allegedly assured the complainant that the visa would be arranged within 90 days and collected around Rs 19 lakh in multiple instalments.However, despite time passing, neither was the study visa arranged nor was the amount refunded. After waiting more than one year, the complainant checked the documents provided by the accused and found that the university offer letter submitted as part of the visa application was fake. Following this, a police complaint was lodged.During the trial, the court noted that financial transactions between the parties were established through bank records and supported by witness testimonies. The court observed that the essential ingredients of cheating were clearly made out in the case. At the same time, it recorded that the complainant had failed to verify the authenticity of the offer letter independently with the university concerned.After examining the evidence and hearing submissions from both sides, the court acquitted the accused of charges related to forgery and criminal conspiracy. However, it held him guilty of cheating and operating without valid authorisation under the Immigration Act.MSID:: 130369623 413 |
