MUMBAI: A tour operator has been booked by Malad Police for duping a businessman to the tune of Rs 1.57 crore.
The businessman told the police that he was acquainted with the accused, Tejesh Shah, and had booked a holiday package of 13 nights/14 days to New Zealand through him, paying Rs 7 lakh, in April 2023.
Thereafter, Shah told him that he was in need of money and wanted to borrow Rs 1.50 crore.He promised to pay an interest of Rs 23 lakh over and above the principal amount.
The businessman told the police that all the cheques given by Shah were eventually, dishonoured. Besides that, the tour to New Zealand did not materialise either. On being cheated of totally Rs 1.57 lakh, the businessman approached the Malad Police and registered a complaint on Monday.
Shah was previously arrested by Kandivali police for duping a Kandivali-based family and five of their relatives to the tune of Rs 20 lakh. Shah had accepted bookings from the group for a 12 days/ 13 nights trip to South Africa, but never gave them any flight tickets or tour details.
Shah was also booked by Samta Nagar Police in a separate case of cheating. In this case, Shah had been accused of charging Rs 4.7 lakh from a government contractor for booking a trip to South Africa for his parents. The trip was scheduled in May and the money was accepted in April. But Shah switched off his phone and did not provide any flight tickets or travel details to the contractor.
