‘7 going to Pak for terror training’: Man sends hoax email to cheat customers

The Mankhurd police on February 20 received an email stating that seven people are going to Pakistan via Dubai to get training from a Pakistani intelligence agency

The Mankhurd police on February 20 received an email stating that seven people are going to Pakistan via Dubai to get training from a Pakistani intelligence agency to carry out a terror attack in India, however, investigations revealed that the email was a hoax, sent by a travel agent, part of a human trafficking racket, to cheat his customers of over ~ 1.75 crore.

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“The seven people included six men from Thane and a woman from Karachi, Pakistan. They wanted to go to the United States (US) as their relatives lived there. As visas were difficult to get, their relatives contacted an agent, Ramish Sultan Dava, who charged ~25 lakh to ~30 lakh each for the visas. But after receiving the money, he sent an email to Mankhurd police to push the customers into a fake case of terrorism,” said Datta Nalawande, deputy commissioner of police, crime branch. On February 20, police received an email, in which the sender identified himself as Ramish. “I have big information of the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) group working in Mumbai…” read the email. He also mentioned a mobile number, which was of a Pakistani tourist agent Rizwan Syed.

Mumbai Police along with central agencies then interrogated the six people from Thane. Inquiries revealed that their relatives had contacted Dava and given him over ~ 25 lakh for each person. Dava also allegedly had an affair with a Pakisani woman, Kiran Shaukat Ali, and also wanted to bring her to the US, added the officer. Dava then contacted Syed who assured to bring all seven to the US via Dubai.

“The plan was to get them Canadian visas in Dubai and then take them to the US from Canada,” added Nalawade.