Ahmedabad man alleges ₹26.86 lakh Canada work permit scam, four booked for immigration fraud

An Ahmedabad resident has filed a police complaint alleging that he was cheated of ₹26.86 lakh by an immigration consultancy that promised to secure a Canadian work permit and job placement but allegedly failed to obtain the visa despite collecting substantial payments over several months.

Based on the complaint, the Bodakdev Police have registered an FIR against four individuals associated with Growing Globe Immigration for alleged cheating, criminal breach of trust and related offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The accused have been identified as:

Akash Panchal, director of the firm and currently residing in Canada

Darshan Mahendrabhai Panchal

Harsh Mistry

Bhargav Panchal

Police said the role of other individuals connected to the alleged immigration fraud is also being investigated.

The complainant, Jigarbhai Pravinkumar Patel (33), a resident of Raisan in Gandhinagar and a private employee, told police that he came across the consultancy through Instagram in July 2024 while looking for overseas employment opportunities.

After visiting the firm’s office near Zydus Hospital in Thaltej, he was allegedly assured that a Canadian work permit visa and employment offer could be arranged within six to seven months.

Patel was initially asked to pay ₹56,000 as a registration fee and submit documents including his passport, educational certificates and work experience records.

Payments made in India and Canada

According to the complaint, Patel later signed an agreement and was instructed to transfer payments in Canadian dollars to an account linked to the consultancy’s Canadian entity.

He allegedly paid, 500 Canadian dollars initially, 9,510 Canadian dollars towards work permit processing, ₹11,430 for additional visa processing charges.

After clearing the IELTS examination with an overall band score of six, Patel claimed he was informed that his work permit application would soon be filed.

The complainant alleged that the consultancy intentionally delayed the process until the validity of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) expired.

When he requested a new LMIA, he was allegedly told that additional payments would be required before further processing could take place.

On March 31, 2025, representatives of the consultancy allegedly showed him what they claimed was a visa approval video and demanded nearly ₹30 lakh more before issuing the Passport Request (PPR) letter.

Believing the assurances, Patel said he mortgaged family property and secured a ₹20 lakh loan from a cooperative bank in Visnagar.

Between April 4 and April 5, 2025, he allegedly transferred multiple instalments of ₹5 lakh each through cheques issued from his own and his mother's bank accounts to accounts specified by the accused.

Despite making the payments, he never received the promised Passport Request letter or Canadian work permit.

Patel further alleged that the consultancy later promised to refund the entire amount if the visa could not be arranged.

In July 2025, he was allegedly given two post-dated cheques worth ₹20 lakh as a repayment guarantee. However, he claimed the cheques were never honoured and repeated requests for a refund went unanswered.

The complainant has accused the consultancy of dishonestly inducing him to part with ₹26.86 lakh through false promises of immigration services and employment opportunities in Canada.

Police investigation underway

The Bodakdev Police have launched an investigation into the alleged immigration fraud and are examining financial transactions, documentary evidence and the involvement of other individuals linked to the consultancy.

Authorities said they will also verify the payment trail, overseas transfers and records submitted by the complainant as part of the ongoing probe.