3 directors of Noida tourism firm held for duping customers

Three directors of a Noida travel company were arrested for cheating customers with fake tour packages and forged tourism ministry documents.

NOIDA: Three directors of a private travel company operating from Noida were arrested on Friday for allegedly cheating customers through fraudulent tour packages and using fake Union tourism ministry documents to gain credibility, police said on Saturday.

Police said further investigation remains underway (Photo for representation)

The accused were identified as a 32-year-old resident of Saurabh Vihar in Delhi, a 35-year-old resident of Sector 48, Noida, and a 38-year-old resident of Ballia.

According to police, the accused were operating the company, Rangers Club, in Sector 32, and allegedly duped several customers by taking money for booking tour packages while failing to provide the promised facilities and services.

“The accused allegedly prepared forged documents carrying the name of the ministry of tourism to convince customers that their company was officially recognised. During a raid, three fake tourism ministry identity cards, 180 fake visiting cards, 14 forged seals and 15 forged MoUs were recovered,” additional deputy commissioner of police, Noida, Manisha Singh said.

During questioning, the accused admitted that they lured customers with attractive travel package offers and collected money without delivering the promised services, police said. The accused also allegedly told investigators that they had cheated multiple people and earned crores of rupees through the operation.

An FIR has been registered at Sector 24 police station under sections 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 316(5), 338 and 336(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

“An investigation is underway to identify victims and examine the financial trail,” the officer said.

Police said bank account details and financial transactions linked to the accused are also being examined.