Mumbai, July 9: The Mumbai police recently booked a city-based couple for allegedly duping more than 40 people of INR 1.63 crore on the pretext of providing them with a work visa for Canada. The couple, residents of Mumbai's Malad area, have been identified as Rina Shah and Gaurav Shah. The police have also launched a manhunt to nab them.

The alleged work visa fraud came to light after a woman filed a complaint against the couple with Malad police on Sunday, July 7, reports Indian Express. The complainant, a resident of Malad, said that the couple defrauded over 40 people of INR 163 crore. The complainant told cops that she wanted to go and work in Canada and sought the couple's help to get a work visa. Online Fraud in Mumbai: Fake CBI Officer Uses Deepfake Audio of ‘Crying Son’ To Dupe Woman of INR 1.2 Lakh, Probe Launched.

Couple Takes Money from Woman to Process Work Visa

The complainant said the accused took INR 7.16 lakh from her as a processing fee for her visa application. However, when she did not get her visa on time, the complainant questioned Rina and Guarv, who gave her vague answers. Following this, the complainant learned that the couple had defrauded several people in a similar way.

Nearly 40 Victims Come Forward After Couple's Fraud Exposed

Realising that she was cheated, the woman approached the police and lodged a complaint. The woman also said that the accused had created online media centres on social media where one could check the status of their work visa applications. However, when the victims learned the truth about the couple's fraud, the centres were taken down. Insurance Fraud in Mumbai: Multiple Companies Scammed Into Paying INR 69 Lakh After Woman Fakes Death Twice in Two Years, Probe Launched.

So far, 40 victims have come forward regarding the couple's alleged fraud, and many more are likely to have been defrauded. Meanwhile, the accused told the victims that they had become victims of the visa-providing agency; however, the police did not buy their claims and launched an investigation into the case.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 09, 2024 11:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).