Travel agent sold railway tickets at double price

A travel agent has been arrested near New Delhi railway station on charges of possessing 70 confirmed Indian Railways tickets in the name of fictitious persons, police said on Thursday.

Mukesh Kumar Rai was held on Wednesday after a complaint that his travel agency in Paharganj sells confirmed train tickets at a double price, but the tickets are usually issued on fictitious names.

“Mukesh Kumar used to get tickets booked from railways’ reservation counter two to three months prior to the date of journey and sell these tickets on the scheduled date of journey,” said Sanjay Kumar Jain, deputy commissioner of police (crime and railways).

The complainant, Mukesh Chaudhary, claims that he had approached ‘Sai Shiv Tours and Travels’ after failing to receive a confirmed ticket to Mumbai through railways’ reservation counter.

“Mukesh Chaudhary had visited the travel agency’s office after being told by someone that they could provide confirmed tickets. He later received a confirmed Paschim Express ticket and was charged Rs 1,000 for the Rs 414 ticket,” Jain added.

The ticket was, however, issued on the name of a 30-year-old male passenger. “As Mukesh Chaudhary did not want to travel on the ticket issued in the name of some other person, he asked his money back, but the travel agent refused. Aggrieved, he made a complaint at crime branch,” Jain said.

A raid was then conducted at Mukesh Kumar’s travel agency. During search, 69 confirmed tickets of various trains scheduled to depart on Wednesday were recovered.

Mukesh Kumar told police that he worked for a man named Lalit alias Munna Neta. He also claimed that Lalit used to provide the confirmed tickets.

“He used to sell the tickets at a double price. Lalit is absconding and efforts are being made to arrest him,” Jain added.A case has been registered against Mukesh Kumar.