Singapore-Malaysia Dream Turns Sour as Chandkheda Travel Agent Allegedly Vanishes With ₹17.82 Lakh
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
A Singapore-Malaysia holiday turned into an alleged financial nightmare for a group of tourists after a Chandkheda-based travel agent allegedly collected ₹17.82 lakh for a tour package and foreign currency exchange before becoming unreachable, police said.
The complaint was registered on August 20 at Chandkheda police station by Dhaval Ashokkumar Soni, 35, a businessman from Himmatnagar, against Rashmikant Navneetbhai Patel, who allegedly operated Veer Krupa Travels from North Plaza in Chandkheda.
₹10.08 Lakh Tour Package for 10 Members
According to the complaint, Soni and his relatives came in contact with Patel in April after seeing an online advertisement for the travel agency.
Patel allegedly introduced himself as a travel agent dealing in international tours, airline tickets, visas, hotel accommodation and cruises. The group was subsequently offered a nine-day, eight-night Singapore-Malaysia tour package.
The package for 10 members was allegedly finalised at ₹10.08 lakh.
The complainant alleged that the group paid the full ₹10.08 lakh towards the package. They allegedly paid another ₹7.74 lakh as an advance for converting Indian currency into Singapore dollars, taking the total amount handed over to ₹17.82 lakh.
Of this, ₹12.39 lakh was allegedly paid through online transactions and ₹5.43 lakh in cash.
Passports and Visa Documents Also Handed Over
Patel allegedly told the group that airline tickets would be booked and sought their original passports and other documents required for tourist visa applications.
The complainant alleged that the tourists handed over their passports, bank statements, photographs, salary slips and income-tax return documents to the travel agency.
Patel initially booked eight IndiGo tickets for travel to Singapore on May 23, according to the complaint, further strengthening the group's confidence in the proposed tour arrangements.
Mobile Switched Off, Office Found Closed
However, the complainant alleged that Patel's mobile phone was switched off on May 12.
When Soni and his relatives visited the Veer Krupa Travels office the following day, they allegedly found it closed.
The group subsequently made repeated attempts to contact Patel and recover the money, but the amount remained unpaid, the complaint stated.
The complainant further alleged that Patel gave assurances that he would arrange the money, including by selling two shops in Ranip, but allegedly failed to repay the outstanding amount.
Police Launch Investigation
Chandkheda Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the alleged fraud.
Investigators are expected to examine bank transactions, airline and travel bookings, documents submitted for visa processing, communications between the complainant and the accused, and the operations of the travel agency. Police will also investigate the alleged money trail and efforts to trace the accused.
