Lab issuing fake certificates unearthed in Chandigarh, 2 operators held
Chandigarh, July 22
The UT police have uncovered a laboratory issuing fake medical certificates to persons planning to go abroad.
The breakthrough came after the arrest of Jai Karan Joshi (31), an immigration consultant who had defrauded numerous people by promising overseas travel. His arrest led the police to the operators of the lab. The police also recovered 102 passports, laptops and mobile phones from Joshi.
Arshad Khan (24) and Mahipal Singh (27), both from Rajasthan, were running the lab, M/S Health Care Diagano Lab in Sector 33. Joshi’s immigration consultancy, M/S Golden Overseas in Sector 9, sent visa applicants to this lab for medical tests.
The police disclosed that the immigration agent charged between Rs 6,000 and Rs 6,500 per applicant, paying the lab Rs 500 for a fake medical certificate.
The police arrested the two suspects on July 20 and seized nearly 1,600 medical reports, several blood vials, stamps with “fit” and “unfit” engravings and other incriminating documents from the lab. It was also discovered that the duo had hired two untrained girls to take blood samples, endangering the lives of their clients.
The suspects would collect blood samples and inform clients that their medical reports would be sent directly to the immigration consultant.
The police are investigating whether the medical tests were conducted merely to extort more money from those wanting to move abroad.
The police further said a case was registered against Joshi following a complaint by Ashish Sharma and seven others, who alleged that they were defrauded to the tune of Rs 8 lakh by his firm. The investigation revealed that the firm attracted people through social media advertisements. Victims, mostly from other states, were easily influenced by these ads and ended up paying large sums of money.
Joshi’s interrogation revealed that he frequently changed offices after defrauding people. Over the past few years, he operated under several names, including M/S Smart Visa Point, Sector 8, M/S Canadian West Consultancy, Sector 8, M/S Golden Overseas, Sector 9, M/S Golden Overseas, Sector 22, M/S Guru Tour and Travel, Sector 20, and M/S World International Tour and Travel, Sector 44.
