In a significant success against organized visa fraud, the IGI Airport unit of Delhi Police has busted an interstate racket involved in supplying counterfeit French D-type work visas to Indian job aspirants. The operation led to the arrest of the alleged mastermind, V. Kannan (55), a resident of Namakkal district in Tamil Nadu, following a coordinated multi-state investigation.
The case surfaced on October 28, 2025, when three passengers from Tamil Nadu — Naveeraj Subramaniyam (23), Mohan Gandhi Elangovan (38) and Prabhakaran Senthilkumar (28) — arrived at the departure immigration counters at Indira Gandhi International Airport to board a flight to Paris. During routine but detailed checks, immigration officers found discrepancies in the French D-type visas affixed to their passports. Further examination revealed that the visas were forged and missing essential security features, prompting immediate intervention.
A criminal case was subsequently registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Passport Act. During preliminary questioning, investigators learned that Naveeraj’s visa had been arranged through an agent by his brother for ₹6 lakh, while Mohan and Prabhakaran had each paid ₹12 lakh to an agent operating in Namakkal.
To trace the source of the forged documents, a special police team was formed under the supervision of the ACP, IGI Airport. Using technical surveillance and intelligence inputs, the team tracked down and arrested V. Kannan from Namakkal. During interrogation, Kannan disclosed that he ran a government-affiliated Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and an overseas education consultancy in Velur. He admitted to collaborating with an associate, Sathik Syed alias Abdul Hakim, based in Madurai, to lure job seekers with promises of warehouse employment in Paris.
According to police findings, applicants were interviewed to make the offers appear legitimate, after which fake French work visas were prepared. Payments were collected through both bank transfers and cash transactions. Investigators believe at least 16 job seekers were targeted using this modus operandi. Efforts are currently underway to arrest Sathik Syed and to identify other members linked to the network, as well as to examine possible connections with similar visa fraud cases across states.
Those arrested so far include V. Kannan, identified as the main agent, along with the three passengers who attempted to travel using forged visas. Police officials said further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.
The IGI Airport Police also highlighted that during November 2025 alone, they arrested 26 individuals, including six agents, in multiple cases involving fake passports and visas. Several of the accused were already wanted in other investigations. In parallel, the airport unit intensified action against touts, resulting in the arrest of 28 individuals involved in illegal activities at the airport.
Reiterating their commitment, police officials warned job seekers against falling prey to unverified agents and assured that strict action will continue against those exploiting aspirants through fraudulent overseas employment schemes.
