Ahmedabad businessman loses ₹40 lakh in fake Canada PR visa racket

An Ahmedabad-based businessman has filed a complaint with the CID (Crime), Economic Offences Wing, alleging that he was cheated of ₹40 lakh by a group of individuals who promised permanent residency (PR) visas and jobs in Canada for his two children.

According to the complaint, Paresh Patel (54), a resident of Bodakdev, came into contact with the main accused, Nachiketa Brahmabhatt, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Brahmabhatt had been living on rent in the same society and introduced himself as a Satsangi and 'main karta' of a religious trust, Swaminarayan Mandir Vasna Sanstha (SMVS) Gadi Sansthan. He also claimed to run a visa consultancy firm named Asylum Overseas in Mumbai, specialising in Canadian PR processing.

Patel stated that in December 2022, Brahmabhatt visited his home and offered to secure PR visas and employment for his two children — Monica (31), who works in social media marketing, and Harsh (28), who assists in the family’s chemical trading business. The accused allegedly claimed that while he usually charged over ₹3 crore for such services, he would complete both applications for ₹50 lakh as a 'favour' since they shared the same faith and society.

Trusting his assurances, Patel handed over his children’s educational and personal documents, including Aadhaar cards, degree certificates, IELTS scores and passports, to Brahmabhatt and his associate Alpaben Thakkar, who introduced herself as a director at Asylum Overseas.

Between January and July 2023, Patel transferred ₹40 lakh to accounts in the name of Asylum Overseas and handed over cash payments at his home and office in Navrangpura. Some transactions were made through RTGS to bank accounts in Andheri and Malad, Mumbai, while others were paid in person. The accused also introduced a man named Sanjay Patel, who occasionally attended meetings and claimed to be Brahmabhatt’s business partner.

Over the following months, Brahmabhatt allegedly sent fabricated emails and WhatsApp messages, including a fake “provisional nomination letter” purportedly from Canadian immigration authorities, to convince the family that the visa process was underway. In November 2023, he sent what appeared to be PR approval letters for both children, asking them to obtain police clearance certificates (PCCs) for the final step.

However, after the PCCs were submitted, Brahmabhatt stopped answering calls and messages. When Patel showed the documents to another visa consultant, he was told that all the letters and approvals were forged. By then, Brahmabhatt had vacated his rented flat in Bodakdev and could not be traced.

The complaint further names Divyesh Kumar Patel, another alleged associate linked with the Asylum Overseas office in Mumbai, accusing him and others of jointly defrauding the complainant and committing criminal breach of trust.

Following the complaint, the CID (Crime) Economic Offences Wing have registered a case under sections about cheating, forgery, and criminal breach of trust of the BNS against Nachiketa Brahmabhatt, Alpaben Thakkar, Divyesh Patel, and their unidentified associates.

A senior CID officer said, “Preliminary evidence indicates a coordinated racket involving multiple individuals posing as visa consultants. The accused collected large sums by exploiting the victims’ religious and community connections. Further investigation is underway.”