A fake Gulf visa racket operating out of Hyderabad was busted by the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) Police in coordination with the Special Operations Team (SOT), Shamshabad Zone. Two agents were arrested and a large number of forged documents and tampered passports were seized. The breakthrough came after a complaint was lodged by Gandikota Venkata Ramana, a 38-year-old woman from West Godavari district, who reported that she and seven other women had been misled into travelling to Kuwait via Muscat using tourist visas despite holding Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports.
The woman’s visa was flagged at the airport as tampered and marked “CANCELLED,” raising concerns of fraud and human trafficking. Police investigations led to the arrest of Chilukuri Balaji, a 43-year-old travel agent from Penugonda, West Godavari, who was operating under the name “Srinivasa Global Recruits.” He is accused of forging visas, working with medical centres for fake fitness certificates, and coordinating illegal travel to Gulf countries. His associate, Sunkara Shiva Kumar, aged 30 from Annamayya district, assisted in recruiting women and managing travel logistics. Two others, Satyanarayana and Anji alias Penegalapati Ramanjaneyulu, are absconding.
According to the police, the accused manipulated immigration procedures by stamping genuine work visas with “CANCELLED” markings to make them appear as tourist visas. Victims were lured with false promises of jobs in Kuwait and Muscat and were sent abroad without required approvals such as POE (Protector of Emigrants) clearance or original job contracts.
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The agents used two sets of documents — one for Indian emigration counters and another for Gulf arrivals — to avoid detection. Sub-agents received between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 per person. After expenses, the main accused kept around Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 and often destroyed evidence during the travel process.
Items seized include 14 tampered passports, 14 forged Gulf visas, 16 flight ticket copies to and from Muscat, two fake rubber stamps, one stamp pad, seven mobile phones, and one laptop. The arrested individuals are currently in custody, and police are making efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the racket.
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