Only on 13: Indian immigrant denies staging robbery to obtain U-visa

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Police are investigating several robberies reported to them over the past year that they say appear to have been staged so that the purported victims could obtain U-visas.

The alleged scheme came to light after a bystander shot Rasshuud Scott to death on Jan. 27 after witnessing him rob a couple at a northwest Houston gas station. Police now say that the robbery was staged.

One of the cases police say they're looking at involves a February 2023 robbery at another northwest Houston gas station.

Akbar Jiwani told Eyewitness News that he, his brother, and his cousin were at a gas station on Gessner when a man robbed them at gunpoint.

Police say Scott was likely the robber and that the robbery was part of the U-visa scheme, noting that Jiwani applied for and was granted a U-visa.

Jiwani told Eyewitness News that he's from India and has been living in the country for eight years.

Eyewitness News asked him if he had applied for a U-visa after reporting the robbery to police.

"After three or four months," Jiwani replied.

Eyewitness News asked him about HPD's assertion that the robbery was staged in order to obtain the U-visa.

Jiwani repeatedly shook his head.

Eyewitness News couldn't locate any criminal charges for Jiwani or any of the other allegedly fake victims of staged robberies.

Jiwani said he hadn't heard from police or immigration officials.

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