In recent weeks, there has been a concerning surge in the utilisation of forged marksheets and educational certificates to secure student visas for the United Kingdom. The Sahar police have documented at least six such cases between September 9 and October 1.

As per a report from TOI, individuals apprehended by the police, ranging in age from 22 to 29, originated from Gujarat, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. Investigations have unveiled that they paid agents amounts ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 15 lakh to fabricate the required documents.

The United Kingdom stands out as a highly coveted destination for global higher education. Police suspect that the recent initiatives by the UK Consulate to accelerate and simplify the visa application process, combined with the increasing options for Indian students pursuing education in the UK, might be contributing factors to the rise in cases of student visa fraud.

The latest arrest, which took place on October 1, involved Lovemeet Singh (29), apprehended by immigration officers at Mumbai International Airport while attempting to board Air India flight AI-131. Singh's documents raised suspicions as he hailed from Punjab but possessed a BCom certificate from North East Frontier Technical University in Arunachal Pradesh. During questioning, Singh confessed to obtaining his student visa through forged documents. 

On that identical day, immigration officers apprehended Umang Patel (29) from Gujarat, who was set to journey to the UK. Patel had obtained his student visa through a fraudulent BTech certificate facilitated by a Surat-based agent named Bhargav Bhai, as indicated in police reports.