Huge amounts of cash and incriminating documents linked to properties worth crores—both in India and abroad—were recovered...
CBI Files Chargesheet Against 8 in French Embassy Visa Fraud Case latest news
New Delhi, June 11, 2025: In a significant crackdown on international visa fraud, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against eight individuals involved in a French Embassy visa scam, including a Local Law Officer posted in the Visa Department of the French Embassy in New Delhi, his family members, and multiple visa agents operating out of Punjab.
The CBI’s International Operations Division launched the investigation based on intelligence inputs about fraudulent visa processing within the French Embassy. The case revealed that between January 2021 and May 2022, the accused Local Law Officer allegedly exploited his position to facilitate Schengen visas for applicants from Punjab in exchange for large sums of money.
The scam operated through a well-organised network of visa agents and middlemen who targeted aspirants looking to travel to Europe. Applicants were made to pay between rupees 13 lakh and 45 lakh per visa. Once the visas were issued, the accused destroyed all related documents to erase any trace of fraud.
Huge amounts of cash and incriminating documents linked to properties worth crores—both in India and abroad—were recovered from multiple locations in Punjab and Delhi. Investigators also found that money was allegedly ‘funneled’ through various bank accounts before reaching the officer and his family, including his brother, father, and wife.
In a historic first, the CBI successfully secured a ‘Silver Notice’ to trace and recover the proceeds of the crime abroad. This marks India’s first-ever Silver Notice, issued with assistance from Interpol’s International Police Cooperation Unit and other international agencies.
“In order to trace the proceeds of crime abroad, International Operations Division of CBI, in coordination with International Police Cooperation Unit of CBI were also successful in getting India’s first Silver notice published in this case. CBI successfully coordinated with multiples agencies including international agencies to secure evidence in the case,” CBI statement read.
The CBI emphasized its ongoing commitment to tackling cross-border crimes and protecting citizens who have been ‘duped’ by such criminal networks.
Coordination with foreign agencies played a key role in building evidence and tracking the illicit financial flow.
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