The Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) police on Sunday arrested three people for sending two children to US on a fraudulent visa
The trio had approached the couple, promising them cash in return for transporting the children. PIC FOR REPRESENTATION/THINKSTOCK
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The Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) police on Sunday arrested three people for sending two children to US on a fraudulent visa. What set alarm bells ringing for cops was a woman's solo return from the US, after she'd left with two children. The woman is Nirmala Qureshi, who had applied for a tourist visa with her children aged 12 and 10, after her husband Azhar applied for a business visa to the US in April at the US consulate in BKC.
While Azhar's visa was rejected, Nirmala and her children got their visa in April. However, Nirmala did not travel with her own children on April 25, but allegedly trafficked two others of the same age. Three days later, she returned alone, after which the vigilance department of the US consulate brought the matter to the notice of the BKC police.
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BKC cops then reached Nirmala's home and found her there with her children. They detained her and Azhar and upon being interrogated, they told cops that three people had approached them for getting visas for two children, on their children's identity. They were promised a payment for the same. Azhar and Nirmala were arrested, but later released on bail. Since then, cops had been looking for the other three suspects.
"The trio's numbers were kept under surveillance and in the wee hours of Sunday, they were arrested," said a police official.
The trio is Zakir Shaikh, Riyaz Nagpurwala, and Feroz Shaikh alias Vicky. Probe revealed they had indeed approached the couple and promised cash in return for the transporting the children. The police are now investigating how long they've been active in illegally transporting people to the US. "The three arrested were produced before a court on Sunday and have been remanded in police custody for four days," the official added.
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