The city police on Sunday caught a 52-year-old travel agent for allegedly preparing fake visas for Dubai and Oman.
Twenty-four passports, forged visa documents, fake sponsors’ affidavits and declaration documents along with a computer and printer were seized from the arrested person, M. Nagabhushanam, of Red Hills. He was running a travel agency -- Hasnin Tours and Travels -- at Taj Complex in Nampally for the past three years, police said.
Task Force Sub-Inspector A. Sudhakar said that officials in Dubai and Oman send employment visas through email but before going there the candidate has to get emigration clearance, which in some cases gets rejected due to various reasons. Desperate to work in these two countries, such visa holders approached Nagabhushanam for help.
Forges visas
He forged these employment visas as tourist visas without changing the other details and sent candidates to Dubai and Oman. On landing at the airport, the authorities there usually check only the visa number, name and photograph and allow them, explained Mr. Sudhakar.
He said the accused was sending at least 25 persons to these countries every month after collecting Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 from each person. “After getting a tip-off, we raided his office at Nampally and took him into custody,” the SI said.
Nagabhushanam, hailing from East Godavari district, had earlier worked in several consultancies dealing with air-ticket bookings. After gaining some experience, he opened Hasnin Tours and Travels in Nampally and began preparing forged travel documents using Adobe Photoshop software, Mr. Sudhakar said.
He sent candidates from East and West Godavari, Karimnagar and Adilabad districts to the Gulf countries in a similar manner.
