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The woman, a divorcee raising two children, had approached the consultancy in 2022 after completing a healthcare assistant course and clearing the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination. The consultancy agreed to arrange a job visa for Rs 13.50 lakh. The consultancy subsequently arranged a loan of Rs 20 lakh against her property, although the agreed cost of securing the UK job visa was Rs 13.50 lakh. The woman had initially paid the firm Rs 2.50 lakh on May 31, 2023, and received an offer letter. The consultancy also paid Rs 10,266 towards an outstanding loan she had with another bank and gave her Rs 1 lakh for her children’s education. The panel found that the woman had received only Rs 1.10 lakh from the loan arrangement, including the amount provided for her children’s education. The remaining Rs 18.89 lakh was retained by the consultancy and its associates. The commission directed the firm and the other opposite parties to refund Rs 18.89 lakh to the woman within 30 days. It also ordered them to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation and Rs 10,000 towards the cost of proceedings.
When she told its representatives that she could not afford the amount, they allegedly suggested raising the money through a chitty loan from the Kerala State Financial Enterprises (KSFE). She was looking for an opportunity to work in the UK. Trusting the promise, she handed over her property documents. The amount was later returned after the loan was secured. Be respectful · TOI community guidelines However, the consultancy defaulted on the chitty loan repayments. KSFE issued a registered notice to both the firm and the woman, asking them to clear the dues under the scheme registered in the firm’s name.