Rachakonda: On May 17, 2023, the SOT (Special Operations Team), in collaboration with the Neredmet Police, uncovered an immigration consultancy racket. They arrested four individuals involved in transporting job aspirants from India to the USA through fraudulent means. The accused were creating fake Telangana State Government Employee Identity Cards, sponsorship letters, and other documents while collecting substantial amounts of money.
A case was registered against them at the Neredmet Police Station, Rachakonda. The details of the accused persons are as follows:
Garlapat Venkata Durga Nageshwara Siddhartha Gariapa Wilson Chowdary, aged 38, operating under the name “St. Anthony’s Immigrations,” residing at Sravanthi Nagar, Macha Bolaram, Secunderabad. (Visa Agent).
Nathala Prabhakar Rao, aged 48, an employee of the consultancy firm Rio, residing at Citizen Colony, Old Alwal, Medchal Malkajgiri district. (Commission Agent).
Jakkula Nageshwar, aged 45, an agricultural worker residing in Bussapur (V), Mondor MI Ngamabad district. (Candidate)
Gotukula Nagaraju Sta Yakalah, aged 33, a financier residing at East Vekat Reddy Colony, Boduppal. (Illegal Financier).
The following items were seized during the operation:
Fake ID cards resembling Telangana State Government Employees from various departments (16)
Passports (05)
Cheque books of visa aspirants with pre-signed checks from The Jagruthi Co-Operative Union Bank Limited (279)
Fake Invitation Letters (10)
US Visa Fee Receipts from Axis Bank (23)
Jagruthi Co-Operative Bank Letters (04)
Bank Statements (07)
Computer (01)
Laptop (01)
Color Printer (01)
Net Cash amounting to Rs.18,000/-
A frozen bank account with Rs.7,02,970/-
Mobile Phones (04)
Garapoti Venkata Durga Nageshwara Siddhartha Wilson Chowdary, the main accused, has been operating St. Anthony’s Immigrations in Secunderabad for the past six years with the assistance of Mr. Prabhakar Rao. He charged Rs. 5 lakhs from visa aspirants, with an initial processing fee of Rs. 1.5 lakhs. Wilson fraudulently used the genuine sponsorship letter of an Indian couple residing in the USA, making copies and editing them to create the illusion that the couple was sponsoring the relatives of the visa aspirants.
He created fake documents for the aspirants, including sponsoring letters and government employee ID cards, which aimed to deceive the US consulate authorities into believing that the aspirants were government employees who would return to India after visiting their relatives in the USA.
Wilson introduced the visa aspirants to a private financier named Mr. G. Nagaraju. Nagaraju would then open bank accounts at Jagruthi Bank and deposit an amount ranging from Rs.40 to 50 lakhs to create the appearance of legitimate transactions. He charged a daily interest rate of 1.5% from the visa aspirants.
Wilson also provided coaching to the visa aspirants on how to behave and respond during the US consulate interviews, instructing them to present themselves as genuine family members. If the aspirant obtained a visa, they were required to pay Wilson a commission ranging from Rs.3.5 to 4 lakhs. The successful candidates had to pay this commission monthly until the agreed-upon amount was completed.
According to Wilson’s statement, he had sent around 50 to 60 applicants for US visa interviews, with 10 of them succeeding and using the fake government employee ID cards, sponsoring letters, and bank balance letters to travel to the USA.
Additionally, some women applicants had applied for US visas to obtain jobs as domestic helpers or nannies.
On May 17, 2023, in the morning, one US visa aspirant named Jakkula Nageshwar, pretending to be an Accounts Officer in the TS Irrigation Department, was taken into custody along with Wilson and Nagaraju near Raghavendra Hotel, Defence Colony, Neredmet X Roads. The fake ID cards, sponsoring letters, and other incriminating materials were seized. Later, Prabhakar Rao was apprehended at their office in Secunderabad, and further incriminating evidence was seized from their possession.
The aforementioned arrests were carried out under the direct supervision of Mr. DS Chauhan, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda Police Commissionerate, with guidance from Mrs. D. Janaki, DCP, Malkajgiri Zone, Rachakonda, Mr. K. Muralidhar, DCP, SOT, LB Nagar-Maheshwaram Zone, Rachakonda, and Mr. A. Sudhakar, Inspector SOT, LB Nagar Zone Team, and Neredmet Police.
Our Citizen Reporter
Bharat Reddy
Telangana
