Nine Indian nationals have asked police in Hyderabad to investigate “fraudulent” immigration agencies, including one they claim sends would-be workers to non-existent jobs in Malta.

Complainants say the scam even involves forged Maltese notary signatures, but the agent has denied the claims.

Earlier this month, Times of Malta reported how an Indian employment agency called Abroad Study Plan charged people up to €6,000 for a visa, work permit and a promise of a well-paid job in Malta.

However, the workers say they were left jobless after arriving in the country.  It transpires that the agency, owned by Anilkumar Ghanta, is one of seven companies listed in a letter handed to Indian police in August.

It is signed by people who say they were “cheated” with promises of jobs in European countries by the recruitment agencies.

They “provided fake job offer letters, job contracts, notaries”, the letter, dated August 29, reads. 

It said that victims had “their own tragic story” including being refused refunds after a visa was rejected or only having a small amount returned.

“Sir, in the case of the five per cent of [those who] gained a visa, people [are] also suffering [in] their destination, like not [being provided] accommodation and job. The consultants are not looking after the clients,” the letter said.    

“We earnestly request your honour to kindly refund our amount from concerned consultants and take action against scams please.”

Times of Malta spoke to one of the letter authors, Srinivasa Rao, who said he worked at Abroad Study Plan’s Delhi office.

Rao was in the process of emigrating to Malta before stopping everything after suspecting “fraud” during the 25 days he worked in the office.

When contacted, Anilkumar Ghanta said Rao was allowed to live in the office premises but never worked there.

Sai Kiran Pannala was another person who signed the police letter. He said documents needed for his visa process included forged signatures and notary stamps bearing the name of Maltese notary Joanne Cassar.

Times of Malta saw a residential lease, an Identity Malta landlord declaration, and a work contract that were seemingly signed and stamped by the Maltese notary.

But when contacted and shown pictures of the documents, Cassar said the signature and stamp bearing her name were fake.

“My signature and stamp and handwriting look completely different,” she said.

She said she had twice been informed about forged documents signed in her name and in both cases had directed the complainants to the police.

It is unclear which agency forged Cassar’s signature.

'Applicants had better jobs in India'

Two media organisations in the Indian state of Telangana reported the issue, showing several men holding a large banner saying: “Action should be taken against those who are deceiving Telugu youth in the name of jobs in Europe. Visa fraud should be stopped… A tearful plea for police department”.   

The “victims” gathered at the police headquarters and delivered a letter calling for action.  

In the video report by ABN Telugu, one man recounted how he initially paid Abroad Study to begin his immigration process and agreed to pay more after Identity Malta (now Identità) issued their approval.   

“They (Abroad Study Plan) told me that within three months he would finish the process and take me to Europe with a work visa, that is what was promised; for that, he told me that I needed to pay two lakhs (around €2,200) initially, and after I got Identity Malta approval I have to pay the rest.”  

The man said that after some months, he realised the whole thing was “a big scam” and that only a small portion of the visas were being processed.  

Another man said that people who make it to Europe do not fare much better.   

“After paying €5,500 to these people, excluding flight expenses, they won’t respond for the people after reaching there, and they are staying without jobs for months on end, and they are again asking for money from their country,” he said.

“If they do get jobs, they get something like car cleaning, which is not enough for people who had better jobs in India,” he said. Contacted for comment, Anilkumar Ghanta of Abroad Study Plan denied the allegations made in the police report.

We refund at least 75%: Abroad Study Plan 

He said he never forged signatures or used fake documents. He insisted he always refunded at least 75 per cent of the money he was paid when visas were rejected.

Ghanta claimed he could not return the full amount to rejected candidates because of fees charged by employers, Identity Malta, visa slot bookings and notaries.

Ghanta said that workers he brought to Malta were usually given a job that paid some €1,000 per month.

But in some cases, the job they were supposed to have would no longer be available because of the long migration process, he said.

In such cases, Ghanta said he did his utmost to find other employment for people.

Like any other business, Ghanta said he seeks to make a profit but “I do not throw people at the roadside”.

“In some cases, I even paid out of pocket to help people,” he said.