Travel agent arrested for duping family of ₹20 lakh

Owner of Purva Holidays arrested in Mumbai for cheating a family of ₹20 lakh by promising a trip to South Africa, remanded in judicial custody.

MUMBAI: An owner of a tours and travel company was arrested on May 5 for cheating a family of ₹20 lakh by promising to book them a trip to South Africa. The accused, Tejas Shah, owner of Purva Holidays, has been remanded in judicial custody till Sunday.

Travel agent arrested for duping family of ₹20 lakh

The complainant, Jaisal Devendra Shah, 46, had approached Purva Holidays after seeing an advertisement for them in a newspaper in December 2023. The family had decided to go on a trip to South Africa for 12 days and wanted a travel agency which could understand their requirement for Jain food, said Shah, who works as a general manager of a private firm.

On 12 December 2023, they paid ₹20 lakh to the travel agency for booking the package for the family and friends, he said.

In March 2024, when Shah asked Tejas about their tickets and further procedures, Tejas began avoiding his calls. In April, when Shah approached Tejas personally and confronted him about the trip, Tejas assured him that he would pay the entire amount back as there were issues in getting the trip booked.

Shah, in his statement to the police, said that Tejas did not organise the trip and did not repay the money. “We have arrested Tejas after registering an FIR against him under section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and are conducting an investigation,” said a police officer from Kandivali police station.