Vadodara Man Duped of ₹1.10 Lakh in Canada Job Fraud, Threats Issued Over Passport

A 39-year-old resident of Vadodara’s Soma Lake area was allegedly cheated of ₹1.10 lakh by two men who promised to secure him a visa and a job in Canada, before threatening to burn his passport when he demanded his money back.

The victim, Jignesh Bhatia, lodged a complaint at the Kapurai police station after the accused failed to arrange his travel, refund the funds, or return his personal documents. Police have registered a case against the duo, identified as Akash Dinesh Chandra Jani and Parth Kishore Mulani, under sections related to criminal breach of trust and cheating.

According to the complaint, Bhatia contacted Jani and Mulani on January 18, 2026, seeking employment opportunities in Canada. The duo assured him of a job at a relative’s restaurant in Canada, claiming the total process would cost around ₹2 lakh and that his visa would be approved within just five days.

Details from the police complaint reveal how the fraud unfolded:

• Initial Payments: Bhatia paid ₹1.10 lakh in phases, which included ₹36,000 for visa processing fees and ₹15,000 for medical checkups.
• Document Deception: The accused sent Bhatia's necessary paperwork to Bengaluru via courier while falsely telling him the files had been dispatched to Canada.
• Refusal and Threats: When Bhatia realised he was not being sent abroad and asked for a refund along with his documents, the accused hurled verbal abuse and demanded an additional ₹2 lakh.
• Passport Extortion: To suppress his demands, the suspects threatened to burn his passport and other vital personal documents.

Escalation, Intimidation, and Police Action

Realising he had been duped, Bhatia confronted Jani and Mulani for his money and documents, but the duo demanded an extra ₹2 lakh and threatened to burn his passport if he reported them. In response, Kapurai police registered a case of cheating and criminal intimidation against the accused, launching a probe to track them down, trace their financial trails, and safely recover Bhatia’s original paperwork before it is destroyed.