A 64-year-old German woman, identified as Poonam Jezzler, was arrested by the Delhi Police earlier this week following allegations of a sophisticated immigration fraud. The accused, who resides in Switzerland, was taken into custody on October 13 after she landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi. Her arrest comes nearly a year after a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the Vasant Kunj police station regarding the alleged swindling of a complainant out of Rs 60 lakh.
On Wednesday, the Patiala House Court presided over by Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Animesh Kumar granted the police two days of custody for the accused. In his order, the magistrate emphasized that a detailed investigation is necessary to trace the flow of the funds and to determine whether other individuals were involved in the conspiracy. Furthermore, the court noted that authorities need to recover electronic devices that may contain incriminating evidence related to the case.
The complainant, Pranzal Kumar, alleged that he first met Poonam Jezzler and her husband in Switzerland in 2021 while he was completing his MBA in Lucerne. According to the FIR, the couple claimed to operate an immigration consultancy firm and boasted of significant experience in facilitating citizenship across various nations. Kumar alleged that the couple persuaded him to settle abroad, eventually convincing him that they could secure German citizenship for him within six months in exchange for a fee of Rs 1.10 crore.
The alleged fraud escalated in September 2024 when the Jezzlers reportedly sent an invoice to Kumar’s father for 50,000 Swiss Francs, equivalent to approximately Rs 50 lakh. The complainant stated that his father, acting in blind trust, transferred the amount to the bank account provided. Kumar further alleged that he was pressured by the accused to pay the remaining balance, prompting him to transfer an additional Rs 10 lakh. However, as no documentation or proof of the immigration process was provided, the complainant realized the scheme was fraudulent, claiming the couple later confessed to the conspiracy.
Prior to her arrest, the Delhi Police had struggled to locate the accused as she resided abroad. Consequently, authorities issued a lookout circular (LOC) and froze her Indian bank account to prevent further movement of funds. During the court proceedings on Wednesday, legal counsel for Jezzler initially opposed the police remand and filed a bail application, though it was later withdrawn. In that plea, the accused claimed she was unaware of the FIR and the LOC issued against her.
Defending her position, the accused had previously highlighted her family background, claiming to be the daughter of a former Madhya Pradesh law secretary. She also sought to invoke her rights as a German national, referencing the Vienna Convention. Despite these arguments, the complainant’s advocate, Gagan Bhatnagar, strongly opposed her bail plea. The case now moves into the investigation phase as police look to recover digital evidence and verify the extent of the alleged financial fraud.
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