Surat police register case against two accused for duping a local travel agent in an international booking scam
A case has been registered by Katargam police against two individuals, including a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), for allegedly cheating a Surat-based travel agent out of Rs 20.56 lakh. The accused, identified as Imran Shaikh and Jainul Patel, booked flight tickets and hotels worth Rs 48.05 lakh but failed to pay the full amount, leaving a substantial outstanding balance, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
According to the complaint filed by travel agent Ashwin Radadiya, Patel, a UK-based individual, contacted him in April 2023 for international travel bookings. Patel, introduced to Radadiya by Shaikh, initially booked a flight from Johannesburg to Manchester. Over time, the bookings expanded to include flights and hotels for various international destinations, including South Africa, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Turkey, Thailand, and Mauritius.
The accused made multiple bookings but failed to clear dues despite repeated reminders
Radadiya processed 34 bookings after receiving confirmations via WhatsApp, expecting full payment. However, only Rs 27.48 lakh was paid through Shaikh, while the remaining Rs 20.56 lakh remained unpaid. Despite multiple follow-ups, Patel and Shaikh failed to clear the outstanding amount, citing various excuses.
Police register FIR as victim seeks justice
After months of delays and unfulfilled promises, Radadiya approached the Katargam police, leading to an FIR being registered against both accused under charges of cheating. Authorities are now investigating the case further to ensure justice for the complainant.
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