Ahmedabad: A city-based trader on Monday lodged a complaint with Gujarat University police, alleging that a visa consultant from Makarba duped him of Rs 16.7 lakh on the pretext of securing an Australian visa for his son.According to the FIR, the complainant, who runs a saree business in Ratanpol, came across an advertisement by a visa consultancy firm. He and his son visited the firm’s office near Vijay Crossroads in Navrangpura in June 2024, where the proprietor allegedly assured them that an Australian visa could be arranged within four months for a fee of Rs 30 lakh.The complainant alleged that he initially paid Rs 6 lakh followed by another Rs 5.5 lakh in instalments. In Feb 2025, the consultant allegedly informed him that the visa had been approved and asked him to arrange 3,000 US dollars for travel formalities. The family subsequently handed over the foreign currency and paid another Rs 10 lakh in cash before the scheduled departure.However, when the complainant’s son attempted to travel via Nepal in March 2025, he was allegedly denied boarding for Australia as no visa had been issued. The family then approached the consultant, who allegedly gave a written assurance that the money would be refunded if the visa was not secured.Police said the accused later returned Rs 7.5 lakh in instalments. He also issued a cheque for Rs 13 lakh towards the remaining amount, but it was dishonoured due to insufficient funds.The complainant alleged that despite repeated follow-ups, the consultant neither refunded the remaining Rs 16.7 lakh nor secured the visa. Gujarat University police registered a case against the accused and launched an investigation.
