Ahmedabad Finance Adviser Duped of ₹12 Lakh in Thailand Tour Scam After Hotel Bookings Turn Out Fake
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
A Thailand holiday for 18 office staff members allegedly turned into a financial nightmare after an Ahmedabad finance adviser discovered that the hotel vouchers arranged by a travel agent were fake. The adviser, Gunvantbhai Patel, alleges he paid ₹12.03 lakh to Mayur Jayantilal Soni for the tour package and travel expenses, only to find that the promised arrangements had not been made after the group arrived in Thailand.
Nikol Police have registered a case against Soni and launched an investigation into the alleged fraud.
Travel Agent Promised a Discounted Package
Patel, a resident of Odhav, runs New Way Finance Service from Hill Town Square in Nikol. According to the complaint, Soni, a Satellite resident who had previously handled passport-related work for Patel’s office, offered a discounted Thailand tour package for 18 employees.
Patel allegedly transferred ₹12.03 lakh to Soni through multiple bank accounts and UPI IDs. The amount included the package cost and foreign currency for expenses during the trip. Soni then shared hotel booking vouchers and the itinerary with the group through WhatsApp.
Tourists Find No Hotel Booking in Thailand
The group reached Phuket on December 27, 2025, but the promised vehicle did not arrive to receive them, and the hotel arrangements were unavailable.
The travellers later reached Hula Hula Resort in Krabi, where the management allegedly told them that no reservation had been made in their names.
A local tour operator also informed Patel that it had not received any payment from Soni.
When Patel confronted the accused, Soni allegedly admitted that he had spent the money on personal expenses and had nothing left to repay.
The group was forced to cover its own expenses to complete the trip, according to the complaint.
Police Register Case After Repayment Promise
After returning to India, Patel allegedly obtained a written undertaking from Soni on stamp paper promising to return the money. When the payment was not made, Patel approached Nikol Police.
Police have registered a case and begun investigating the alleged cheating.
