Immigration racket busted

Anand, Sep 2: Local crime branch sleuths raided a flat here in ''Anshul'' apartments and busted a racket wherein gullible people were cheated of huge sums of money on the promise of facilitating their visit to the US.

Police yesterday have seized 24 passports, visiting cards and morphed photographs of the flat owner, Shailesh Kumar Ranchod, with VIPs.

The racket was brought to the notice of the police by Sunil Gordhanbhai Patel and Bharat Bikabhai Patel who were cheated in the same manner.

Sailesh Ranchod's agent Raju Darji alias Mitesh Jayanti Darji (24) had approached Sunil and Bharat ten months back saying their visit to the US could be arranged for Rs 10 lakh. He told the duo that he had high connections and was acquainted with Chief Minister Narendra Modi's personal security chief S R Shah.

The duo was asked to pay Rs 3.25 lakh in advance, while the rest of the amount could be paid upon reaching the US. The two paid up Rs 4.50 lakh and also handed over their passports to Raju a month back.

However, when there was no progress, they became suspicious and upon inquiring with the Chief Minister's office, were informed that there was no person by name of S R Shah in the CM's security staff.

The duo filed an FIR with the Anand rural police on August 13 and the case was subsequently handed over to the local crime branch on August 31. Both, Shailesh and Raju are at large.

UNI