Makeup artist’s excessive greed proved his undoing

NEW DELHI: It was mid-july when 42-year-old makeup artist Shamsher Singh alias Billu Barber, who was recently arrested by Delhi Police, started helping fake visa agents by changing the facial appearances of their clients.

The Delhi Police said that Singh became a part of new modus operandi of fake visa agents to send people abroad by dodging airport security.

Police said that Singh was arrested earlier this week. He helped a 32-year-old Jayesh Patel to impersonate a 81-yearold. The accused was working as a makeup artist from the last 10 years. "In five to six hours, the accused changed the facial appearance of a person to an octogenarian. Singh was completely aware of the illegal activity that he was involved in," an investigator said.

Adding further, the investigator said," As many as 10 youth aged between 25-30 changed their appearances. The makeup activity took place in Singh's shop and hotels in Karol Bagh area."

According to a senior officer, ten people including two women were from different states had changed their facial appearances. The accused makeup artist was in contact with the agents through social media and phone calls. .

"Earlier, the agents came to the accused's shop with a client. Later through phone, Singh was given the details of the hotels in which their clients were living. During the process of changing facial appearance, there was no interaction between the makeup artist and client," police said.

In a gap of five to ten days, he was either going to hotel for the work or client was coming to his shop. "Normally, he used to charge 3,000-4,000 rupees for makeup but for the illegal work, he started charging Rs 20,000 per person," said officer. According to police, they have arrested two persons, in separate cases, for impersonating as a senior citizen.

"During interrogation, both the accused claimed that they were told by their agents that senior citizens easily gets visa of other country," police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) Sanjay Bhatia said that they have launched an investigation to know the whereabouts of the 10 persons who changed their facial appearances. "It is a new modus operandi. Youths should avoid such illegal way to procure visa as they will be caught one day," said DCP IGI. On September 15, Singh was apprehended and on his instance, cosmetics and material used for dying hair colour into grey were recovered from his shop.