Two directors of a travel agency in Delhi have been arrested for allegedly duping a man by making him pay a nominal fee to avail of a ‘trial holiday package’ and then using his debit card details to take out a loan in his name, without his knowledge.
The cybercrime unit of the Delhi Police said the company’s employees would convince travelers to avail of holiday packages and memberships by charging a nominal fee and then obtain their financial information to take out loans.
The fraud came to light after Dr. Jazeel Muhammad filed a case in June 2023. Muhammad said that in May 2023, he came across the website of Canaves Continental Resorts and Spa when he was planning a trip to Manali with his wife. He booked a room in Club House Manali through the agency.
When the couple reached the hotel, they were allegedly approached by an employee, Deepak Sharma, and Abhishek Verma, the manager of the ‘travel agency’, saying that they had won a prize through a scratch-and-win offer.
Despite the couple’s reluctance, the two employees insisted on showing them various packages the company offered. They were then offered a stay at The Manali Inn as a ‘trial run’ for a nominal fee of Rs 2, which they insisted had to be paid by debit card.
As per the FIR, the couple was coerced into signing an agreement for a five-year membership package. Muhammad alleged that Sharma and Verma maintained that no extra charges would be levied on them.
After staying at the inn for a night, the couple reiterated their disinterest in the company’s package and asked Sharma to cancel the five-year membership, the FIR states.
Upon returning to Delhi, Muhammad received an email confirming his membership with Canaves Continental. He was also notified of a Rs 95,000 loan taken on his debit card-linked account. When he informed the bank that the loan was unauthorized, the bank suggested filing a case with the cybercrimes unit, which he did in June 2023.
On April 17 this year, Muhammad filed an FIR under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code after repeated attempts to contact Sharma and avail the packages offered under the membership failed.
The cybercrime unit formed a team supervised by Assistant Commissioner of Police Dharmender Kumar and led by Inspector Raman Pratap Singh. A technical analysis of call records of over 200 numbers and financial transactions led the police to an office in Delhi’s Mandawali. After the office was raided, an employee allegedly provided information on the ringleaders’ location in Shimla. Subsequently, directors Abhishek (28) and Karan Majumdar (36) were arrested. Manager Abhishek Verma (32) was notified under CrPC Section 41A (notice of appearance before a police officer).
