Travel firm's network marketing defrauds many; 2 held

Two siblings running a travel services company in western Bengaluru have been arrested for cheating dozens of people in the name of network marketing.

Prashanth B and Rekha had set up a company called Dream To Fly Pvt Ltd, which offered tour packages to Goa, Shirdi, Mysuru and Hyderabad as well as foreign destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia and Dubai. The packages cost between Rs 13,000 and Rs 58,000.

The company encouraged customers to become "independent distributors" and earn up to 25% in commission on each successful referral. Bonuses and other benefits were also promised from sales turnover. But customers who became distributors were seldom paid the promised incentives. Google reviews of the company are replete with negative comments.

This was not Prashanth's first brush with the law. In 2017, he was booked by Chandra Layout for marketing dubious schemes through a website and brochures. But he got bail in that case, and went on to set up an office in Girinagar. His latest base was Sir MV Layout 5th Block. The office was opened in the names of Rekha and their mother Sundari.

The CCB received information about the company's dealings and decided to investigate. Jagannath Rai, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing), put inspector Manju J on the job. A CCB team raided the office on Monday and arrested the siblings.

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