FIR against travel agency for duping 50 Haj pilgrims

A Mumbai-based travel agency allegedly cheated a city businessman and his family of Rs 1.2 crore by reneging on a contract to send them on Haj pilgrimage last year.

RT Nagar resident Nurullah (41) has filed a cheating complaint against the travel agency run by three men named Hameed Hassan, Yousuf Hassan and Iqbal. According to Nurullah, he had paid the agency Rs 1.2 crore in several installments for Haj visas and air tickets for 50 people.

The agency eventually returned their passports with no visas stamped on them and also failed to return the money, the complaint stated.

Nurullah stated that the agency initially quoted Rs 3.25 lakh for each pilgrim. He accepted the offer, collected 50 passports and sent them by courier to the agency. He first paid Rs 6 lakh by bank transfer and then wired another Rs 20 lakh. The agency, however, demanded Rs 12 lakh more, Nurullah said, adding he subsequently went to Mumbai and paid in cash.

On August 5, the agency rang him up and asked for another Rs 28 lakh, saying only one flight was available. This time, Nurullah travelled to Delhi and paid the money. He eventually paid Rs 1.2 crore. Hameed promised to send the visas and the tickets soon.

Nurullah waited for a few days but did not get anything. When he contacted the agency, the phone numbers were switched off. A few days later, all their passports were sent back via courier without any visas and air tickets. Nurullah stated in the complaint that when he finally managed to contact the suspects, they threatened to kill him.

The RT Nagar police have registered a case of cheating and are investigating it.