US gets most fake papers from AP

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Hyderabad, March 2: Visa consultants and individuals from Hyderabad send the highest number of false documents while applying for US visas, according to the police at Chennai’s Royapettah.
A team of Royapettah police was in the city a few days ago to investigate three cases of visa fraud. According to the Royapettah officials at least 50 per cent of the documents submitted in support of the visa applications at US consulate in Chennai are fake. A CCS official said, “Most of the fraudulent documents are originating from Hyderabad-based consultancies and agents. Several visa agents wanted in cases booked by the US consulate in Chennai are from Hyderabad.”
The fraudsters faced cheating and forgery cases. “The city has become the hub of H-1B visa fraud,” he said. “People go to the US with fake papers,” the officer said. “The search for jobs begins only after they land in the US.” The US consulate had earlier announced tough measures against fraudsters and warned that those who present fake papers will be barred for the rest of their life from entering the US.
In 2007 Task Force sleuths here busted a racket of fake visa documents and arrested a retired bank employee, Shaik Abdul Rasheed, 58, and a history-sheeter of Dabeerpura police station, Alam Ali Khan, 62. The investigation lead to a Hyderabadi based in Chennai.They allegedly prepared fake income certificates, bank balance statements, property assessment documents and experience certificates from reputed companies. Rasheed came in contact with one Raju of Tamil Nadu who used to take demand drafts in favour of US Consulate. The US Embassy has referred seven cases of fraud for investigation in 2007.

(Published in Deccan Chronicle March 3 2008)