54-year-old man arrested for duping people in name of Haj
A 54-year-old man was arrested from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly duping people in the name of Haj or Umra yatra, police said on Wednesday. The police said that in 2017-2018, the man, who worked as a tour operator, promised people that he will arrange their VISA for Haj or Umra and charged Rs. three to four lakh per person.
He collected money from 40 to 50 people and fled
The accused was identified as Intezar Sayed Mehandi, a resident of Kaushambi district in UP. "He collected money from 40 to 50 people and fled," a senior police officer said. "Later, a complaint was registered against him by a man who was duped of Rs. 2.80 lakh," the officer said.
Mehandi was arrested from his in-laws' house
"During the investigation, Mehandi was arrested from his in-laws' house in UP's Kaushambi district," Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast) RP Meena said. "In 2015, he met Fakruddin Umar Ansari, a Saudi Arabia-based visa section officer, who introduced him to a Saudi Arabian national who worked as a security officer in Saudi Embassy. The person asked for Rs. 60 lakh for 55 VISA permits," Meena said.
Accused failed to arrange VISA following the visa officer's death
"The officer was later transferred to his nation in 2016, and the visa officer died. So, the accused neither could arrange any VISA for the aspirants nor did he return their money," the DCP further said.
Mehandi collected more money from other people in 2017-2018
"He collected more money from other people in the name of Haj in 2017-2018. He contacted another middleman in Saudi Embassy to help him arrange the VISA during the period of Haj yatra," Meena said. "He also gave Rs. 10 lakh to the middleman to arrange VISAs for Haj, but he failed to get it, following which Mehandi fled with the money," police said.
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