.The number of cases of visa consultants, travel agents and visa applicants booked by the police for producing fake papers in order to get US visas from the consulate in Hyderabad is increasing.
At least one case is booked every month. The most recent case, on April 1, is of a 37-year-old man from Warangal who was arrested for producing forged bank statements and income-tax returns.
In the past two years, 20 such cases have been booked against various individuals who applied for US visas using fake financial documents, educational certificates, employment service certificates and sponsor letters.
On October 21, 2010, a case was registered against B. Raju, who paid Rs.20,000 initially and was to pay Rs.2 lakh subsequently for fake employment documents.
M. Srinivas claimed to be a software engineer and applied for a visa by producing a fake certificate from the University of Mysore and also a fake employment certificate which he had bought from an agent for Rs.15,000.
There is a case pending against four women from Gujarat who paid Rs.20 lakh for fake documents and applied for B1/B2 visas.
The people desperate to get to the US range from Mr Srinivasa Rao, who produced a fake employment certificate and a fake MCA certificate from Brilliant Tutorials, which he bought for Rs.60,000, to Ms I.
Rajeswari of Warangal who applied for a visa so that she can work as a maid for $800-$1500.
What is delaying matters in court is that the regional security officer of the US consulate has change twice so far and is not available for deposing in the court as a witness.
“Most of the cases booked in 2009 and 2010 are based on the complaint lodged by Mr Nathan Kim, the assistant regional security officer of the US consulate in the city,” said an officer from the North Zone. “One case was booked as per the complaint lodged by Mr Zack Kendell and the latest one, on April 1, on the complaint of Mr Michael Diamond.”
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