Hyderabad, June 18 (UNI) The Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) has arrested a key accused in a large-scale job visa fraud case that defrauded nearly 100 victims across multiple states.

The arrested individual, Saroj Shiswant Thorat, alias Saroj Bharath Kumar, Director of Eagle Expert Immigration Consultancy in Secunderabad, was taken into custody on Tuesday and remanded to judicial custody, a police statement said on Wednesday.

The arrest follows a complaint by Ch Kamalakar, a resident of Karimnagar, who alleged that a Hyderabad-based firm, Abroad Study Plan Overseas Educational Consultancy, duped him and his friend of Rs 8 lakh on the false promise of securing job placements in Malta. Instead of providing legitimate employment, the consultancy submitted fake documents, resulting in the victims not securing any jobs abroad.

Subsequent investigations revealed similar complaints across Telangana, with FIRs registered in Karimnagar (Cr. No. 168/2024), Nirmal (Cr. No. 40/2024), and Cyberabad (Cr. No. 109/2024). These cases were later transferred to the CID’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Hyderabad, for a comprehensive probe.

CID officials identified a wider fraud network operated by accused Ghanta Anil Kumar, Ghanta Sunil Kumar, Kottu Sai Ravi Teja, Kottu Sai Manoj, Shubham, and Vamshi, who were running offices in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, and Delhi.

The group allegedly collected up to Rs 5 lakh from each victim under the guise of job placements in Malta and other countries. Victims, mainly from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, were left stranded abroad without jobs and incurred significant financial losses.

Saroj Thorat and her husband, Vuyyuru Bharath Kumar, who jointly run Eagle Expert Immigration Consultancy, are accused of conspiring with the directors of Abroad Study Consultancy and facilitating the fraudulent activities.

The CID has already arrested five individuals in the case, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects.

Authorities have urged the public to avoid unregistered overseas employment agencies and to verify whether consultancies are registered with the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE) before availing themselves of their services.

Victims of similar fraud are encouraged to contact DSP M Gangadhar, EOW, CID, Hyderabad, to lodge complaints and assist in the ongoing investigation.

UNI VV ARN