Ahmedabad: A Ghatlodia resident has accused an immigration consultancy of cheating her family of Rs 32.5 lakh after promising to secure a Canada work permit for her daughter, a nursing graduate.Bodakdev police on Sunday registered an FIR against the proprietor of the consultancy on charges of cheating and criminal breach of trust after the promised visa failed to materialise and the money was allegedly not refunded.According to the complaint, the woman approached the consultancy through a relative in 2023 after her daughter completed a BSc in Nursing and sought to move to Canada on a work permit. The firm allegedly assured the family that her qualifications would make the process easier and quoted a fee of Rs 37 lakh, apart from consultation charges.The complainant alleged that after informing them that a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) had been approved, the firm sought an advance of Rs 12.5 lakh, which was transferred through RTGS in Feb 2024. She claimed the consultants repeatedly assured the family that the visa process was progressing despite prolonged delays.In March 2025, the consultancy allegedly informed the family that visa-related charges had risen to Rs 39 lakh. The complainant alleged that she subsequently paid Rs 6 lakh in cash, Rs 20 lakh through RTGS to another bank account provided by the firm, and Rs 1 lakh through an online transfer to another person, taking the total payment to Rs 39 lakh.The family later received what was described as a passport request letter and submitted the daughter’s passport at a visa application centre. However, when the passport was returned, an accompanying communication stated that no application for a Canadian work visa had been processed.When the family sought a refund, the consultancy allegedly issued several cheques, including one for Rs 33 lakh, but the cheque was dishonoured twice. The complainant later initiated cheque dishonour proceedings before a court.Police said the FIR alleges that between Sep 2023 and March 2025, the accused collected Rs 32.5 lakh through bank transfers and online transactions but neither obtained the promised work permit nor returned the money.
