IMMIGRATION FRAUD RAMPANT IN INDIA

Here is another case of immigration fraud in India. The facts are very "fishy", not in small measure because the "ad visors" appear to be unlicensed consultants acting as "agents" for others, and the type of advice given to the applicants seems odd. Also, it seems that the applicant was perfectly willing to play along, for as long as it could result in a successful outcome for him. The moral of the story: hire LAWYERS only, and stay away from those who offer bargain prices for legal services.


Immigration firm to pay Rs 1 lakh for shattering dollar dreams

Express News Service Posted: Oct 25, 2008 at 0345 hrs

Chandigarh, October 24 The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed an immigration company to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation after they failed to send a Ludhiana resident to Canada. They have also been directed to pay Rs 5,000 as litigation cost.
The complainant, Lakhwinder Singh, a resident of Ludhiana, said that he and his family had planned to migrate to the province of British Columbia in Canada. For this, they contacted “Canadian 4UR Immigration Services” in Sector 9. They signed an agreement in November 2006. He was then told that he would get approval for immigration within three months and paid Rs 30,000 as retainer fee.

He was also asked to maintain a balance of Rs 6 lakh in his bank, which would be needed once all the formalities were complete.

The complainant, after noticing that there was no movement in his work, contacted the company and was told that they had to shift their office to Canada owing to some problems. The company later refunded Rs 30,000 by transferring the money in his account.

The complainant alleged that the company had deceived them, as they had not deposited the requisite fee with the firm in Canada.

In its reply, the company pleaded that after the complainant had qualified the interview and cleared the requisite norms as laid by the Canadian Embassy, he signed an agreement. An assurance was also given that he would maintain the required balance in his account.

His case was then forwarded to the overseas immigration branch of the company. The company pleaded that it was the complainant who abandoned the company and demanded for the refund of money, which was given to him. They pleaded that an agent in Canada was running their business under the name of Overseas Immigration Services. But their relations were severed after some friction between and hence the delay.

The forum said that the immigration company had retained the amount of Rs 30,000 for 14 months, for the purpose of procuring a job and visa for the complainant, which it failed to procure.

“The complainant waited for his interview call and visa for 14 months. It is argued by the complainant’s counsel that his client could not work during this period. He procured the amount of Rs 6 lakh and deposited the same in the bank. The entire career of the complainant has been ruined. It was a cruel joke played by the immigration company,” said Jagroop Singh Mahal, President, District Consumer Forum.