The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against eight individuals, including a local law officer of the French Embassy in New Delhi, in connection with a visa fraud case. The chargesheet, filed before a special CBI court, alleges a scheme that defrauded visa applicants from Punjab seeking Schengen visas between January 2021 and May 2022.

Those named in the chargesheet include Shubham Shokeen, the then local law officer in the visa department of the French Embassy, his brother Abhishek, father Samunder Singh, and wife Aarti Choudhary, visa agents Balwinder Singh Bartia and Pritpal Singh, and middlemen Jashandeep Singh Sidhu and Bhawan Shokeen.

According to the CBI, Shokeen exploited his position to facilitate Schengen visas for applicants from Punjab through a network of agents. These agents allegedly charged applicants between ₹13 lakh and ₹45 lakh for visa approvals. The agency further alleges that after the visas were issued, the original application records were deliberately destroyed. The CBI's investigation revealed that payments collected from visa seekers were funneled through various bank accounts before reaching Shokeen and his relatives, aided by the two middlemen.

During searches in Delhi and Punjab, investigators recovered substantial cash and documents indicating ownership of high-value properties, some suspected to be located outside India. The CBI has coordinated with national and international institutions to gather evidence and has secured an Interpol Silver Notice to trace assets held abroad.

The CBI alleges that a network of visa agents, primarily based in Punjab, received money ranging from ₹13 lakh to ₹45 lakh from each visa applicant. In return for these large sums, visa applications were processed by the accused. After the Schengen visas were issued, the accused allegedly destroyed the visa documents and files.

The CBI is still searching for Shubham Shokeen, who is believed to have fled the country to evade the law. The agency's investigation revealed that Shokeen amassed significant wealth in cash and properties in Delhi and Punjab during his tenure at the French Embassy.

The CBI's International Operations Division registered the case based on inputs received from the French Embassy. The agency's spokesperson stated that the CBI is committed to tackling cross-border financial crimes and protecting Indian nationals from exploitation by organized networks.