Ahmedabad student cheated of ₹6.5 lakh in UK visa fraud; Vadodara man arrested

A 28-year-old student from Ahmedabad has allegedly been cheated of ₹6.5 lakh in a visa extension scam while studying in the United Kingdom, with the accused couple fleeing to India after the fraud. The Crime Investigation Department (CID), Gandhinagar, has arrested a Vadodara-based tattoo artist in connection with the case, as per officials.

The complainant, Sunilkumar Prajapati, a resident of Bansidhar Society near Rabari Colony in Amraiwadi, told investigators that he had travelled to the UK on April 12, 2022, to pursue a Diploma in Business Management after completing Class 12. His student visa was due to expire on August 30, 2023.

According to the complaint, while attending college in Wembley, London, Prajapati was introduced through a friend to Mitul Chavda, a tattoo artist from Vadodara, and his wife, Kritika Shah. The couple allegedly promised to secure a three-month visa extension in exchange for ₹6.50 lakh.

Police said the accused repeatedly delayed the visa process by making excuses when interview dates approached. Investigations further revealed that forged documents and false college certificates were allegedly prepared in the student’s name, despite him not being enrolled at those institutions.

After the victim realised he had been cheated, the couple reportedly returned to India in June 2023, claiming they would come back within a month. The student later returned to India and subsequently lodged a complaint with CID Crime.

During interrogation, Mitul Chavda reportedly disclosed that Kritika had married him after divorcing her first husband. The investigation also revealed that after returning from the UK, Kritika divorced Chavda and later married another person.

CID Crime Police Inspector JV Rathod said Mitul Chavda has been taken into custody.