Mangalore, June 22: With the arrest of a person on Monday, Pandeshwar police have claimed to have busted a visa racket in which hundreds of youth aspiring for overseas employment were cheated.
The arrested is Damien Merchant who hails from Mumbai.
After a hot chase through the arterial roads in Mangalore, Damien was apprehended by his angry clients and handed over to Pandeshwar police station.
A cheated aspirant elaborating Merchant's modus operandi revealed that introducing himself as coordinator for Israel Embassy, Damien Merchant lured youngsters by promising lucrative jobs in Israel.
Initially he collected a onetime amount of Rs 5,000 from the gullible client. Then on the pretext of paying for medical expenses, he exhorted Rs 25, 000 to Rs 30, 000, from each visa aspirant, another youth said. Eight months ago, he has taken them for a medical test to Mumbai.
It was revealed that Damien Merchant operated in Bangalore, Udupi, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Kerala.
When there was no sign of any visa, the clients waited for him.
A merchant who shuttles between Mangalore and Mumbai had directed potential customers to meet him near KSRTC bus stand in Bejai.
The ones cheated by him, waited for him and nabbed him when he arrived at Bejai Bus Stand. He succeeded in giving them a slip and sped towards Kuntikana. He was overpowered and given a sound thrashing by the agitated youth. Daniel Merchant promising to return the money took them to a bank in Valencia.
He gave his captors the slip again, only to be nabbed near Pandeshwar police station. When he claimed to be in possession of Rs. 5, 500 he was handed over to Pandeshwar police station.
Sources in Pandeshwar police station said that it was the biggest ever visa racket, as the imposter has allegedly cheated hundreds of youth.
Comments
Add new comment