CBI files chargesheet against Punjab agents, French Embassy official in multi-crore visa fraud case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against eight accused, including a local law officer at the French Embassy in New Delhi, his family members, visa agents and middlemen in the French Embassy visa fraud case

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According to a senior officer, the agency has also secured India’s first-ever Interpol Silver Notice to trace illicit assets held abroad in connection with the scam.

The chargesheet, filed before a special CBI court in New Delhi, names the embassy official, his father, brother, and wife, along with two Punjab-based visa agents and two middlemen, all allegedly part of a well-orchestrated racket that defrauded visa applicants under the guise of arranging Schengen visas.

According to the CBI, the fraud was carried out between January 2021 and May 2022, primarily targeting aspirants from Punjab seeking to travel to Europe. Applicants were allegedly lured through a network of agents and charged exorbitant sums—ranging from Rs 13 lakh to Rs 45 lakh per person—to obtain Schengen visas via the French Embassy.

Once the visas were issued, the accused reportedly destroyed the supporting documents and application files to erase any evidence of wrongdoing.

“The investigation revealed that the funds were routed through multiple bank accounts, ultimately landing with the embassy official and his family via the two middlemen,” the officer said.

The CBI conducted searches at several locations across Delhi and Punjab, recovering large quantities of cash and documents related to properties valued in crores, both in India and overseas.

In a landmark move, the agency’s International Operations Division, in collaboration with the Interpol Cooperation Unit, secured India’s first Interpol Silver Notice, enabling authorities to trace the proceeds of crime stashed abroad. This notice, a rare tool used in financial crime cases, marks a significant expansion of India’s capability in pursuing cross-border white-collar crimes.

CBI officials said the agency coordinated with multiple domestic and international agencies to gather evidence in the case. “This case demonstrates CBI’s growing international footprint and commitment to pursuing transnational criminal networks that exploit Indian citizens,” the officer said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.