Now Reading: Spain visa probe widens, Indian firm BLS under scanner
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Spain visa probe widens, Indian firm BLS under scanner
Spain's National Court has widened its investigation into an alleged visa-for-cash racket at its Consulate in Algiers, bringing Indian outsourcing firm BLS under scrutiny. The probe follows the arrest of two consulate…
Spain's National Court has widened its investigation into an alleged visa-for-cash racket at its Consulate in Algiers, bringing Indian outsourcing firm BLS under scrutiny. The probe follows the arrest of two consulate officials, including Chancellor Vicente Moreno, on suspicion of leading a criminal network that fraudulently issued Schengen visas in exchange for money.
Judge Maria Tardon is investigating allegations that the scheme demanded up to EUR 25,000 per family. BLS, which manages visa appointments and document receipt for the Spanish consulate under a EUR 175 million contract, is accused of facilitating the racket by selecting only families that paid bribes. The alleged offences include money laundering, document forgery, influence peddling, and membership of a criminal organisation.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The widening of the probe to BLS marks a serious escalation for a company that has faced controversies in India and the US. Spain outsourced visa appointment management to Indian firms VFS Global and later BLS since 2011, making this a matter of diplomatic sensitivity. The alleged sums are large by Indian standards: EUR 25,000 per family is about Rs 23 lakh. The court's next step will be to determine whether BLS employees acted under instructions from consulate officials or independently profited. A key signal to watch is whether Spain's Foreign Ministry suspends or reviews BLS's contract, which runs through multiple countries including Russia, China, and India.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
