THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Veteran cops will call it one of the oldest tricks in the bag. Still, unsuspecting job-seekers continue to fall in the trap set by visa fraudsters.
In the latest case, the Thampanoor police have nabbed a 31-year-old for cheating numerous people of lakhs of rupees by promising visas to Gulf nations. The police on Thursday gave his name and address as Shafeeq, 31, TC 69/2820, Kandakka Lane, Manikyavilakam, Poonthura.
He was arrested on the specific charge of cheating Philippose, Puthenpurayil, Iruvalli Pramuri, Thiruvalla, of ` 70,000 after promising him a visa. Subsequent investigation revealed that Shafeeq had deceived many people in Kottayam, Kollam and Pathanamthitta and Tamil Nadu.
Shafeeq ran the Glowbox Consultancy at Mettukkada, Thycaud, which floated advertisements seeking workers to Gulf nations. Many people had come over from Tamil Nadu seeing the ads.
The applicants were interviewed by a man posing as an Arab in a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram. Falling for the charade, they had paid Shafeeq large sums of money, the Circle Inspector, Thampanoor, Sheen Tharayil said in a statement. Shafeeq had staged a deft disappearing act after accepting the money.
Later, an investigation led by Fort Assistant Commissioner M Radhakrishnan Nair had led to his arrest. The police team included the Thampanoor CI and SIs R Sivakumar and John Jacob. Shafeeq was presented in court and remanded.