CBI charges French embassy official in visa scam
A former French Embassy officer in Delhi, Shubham Shokeen, has been named by the CBI as the main player behind a massive visa fraud. Between September 2019 and May 2022, Shokeen and his team allegedly issued Schengen visas to Indian applicants—mostly from Punjab—in exchange for hefty bribes (₹15-45 lakh per visa). The money was reportedly used to buy properties in Dubai worth 7,760,500 dirhams (approximately ₹15.7 crore).
Shokeen on the run, believed to have left India
Shokeen is currently on the run and believed to have left India. The CBI first issued a Blue notice for him, then secured India's first-ever Interpol Silver notice to help track his overseas assets—a move that's part of a new global effort against financial crime. The investigation is ongoing, with international agencies working together to find both Shokeen and the money trail. Several others—including a travel agent and visa agents—have also been named by the CBI for their alleged roles in this high-stakes scam.