Mumbai Police Arrest Visa Counsellor for Duping Nepali Couple of ₹27 Lakh With Fake UK Job

A Nepali couple lost ₹27 lakh to a fraudulent visa racket after being lured with promises of lucrative jobs in London by a self-styled “senior visa counsellor” operating from Mumbai. The Kandivali police on Sunday arrested 32-year-old Pooja Tiwari, who posed as a consultant with a private immigration firm, while the company’s owner, Rohit Sonagra, remains at large as a co-accused in the case registered under sections of embezzlement, cheating, and criminal breach of trust.

The complainant, Vikas Vidurkumar Khatiwada, a Nepal-based engineering consultant, told police that his wife, Monika Dahal, discovered the firm through Instagram success stories in June 2024. After initial contact, Tiwari assured the couple guaranteed employment and UK work visas for a total fee of £25,000 (approximately ₹29 lakh). The couple paid an advance of ₹2 lakh immediately and transferred an additional ₹25 lakh in multiple instalments between June 2024 and May 2025 to bank accounts provided by Tiwari.

When no job offers, visa appointments, or refunds materialised despite repeated follow-ups, the couple realised they had been cheated and approached Mumbai Police in June 2025. A First Information Report was registered at Kandivali police station, and investigators traced digital footprints and bank transactions to Tiwari, who was arrested from her hideout over the weekend.

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During interrogation, Tiwari confessed that she and Sonagra ran a systematic scam targeting overseas job aspirants, particularly from Nepal and northern India, by fabricating offer letters and visa documents. Police said the duo operated without any legitimate tie-up with UK employers or authorised immigration agents and pocketed the money. Sonagra is believed to have fled to Gujarat after the complaint was filed.

Authorities have frozen several bank accounts linked to the accused and recovered part of the duped amount. The couple has been asked to submit all transaction receipts and communication records for further recovery. Police suspect many more victims may exist, given the firm’s aggressive social media advertising, and have urged anyone similarly cheated to come forward.

The arrest highlights the growing menace of bogus overseas job and visa consultancies that exploit social media “success stories” to target vulnerable families. Immigration experts reiterated that genuine UK work visas require direct sponsorship from licensed employers and cannot be arranged through random private agents for upfront lump-sum payments.

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