Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar May 30: Police today busted a fake travel agency in Srinagar, being run by a couple and nabbed a fraudster who was duping tourists.
Police said the Tourism Enforcement Wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police busted a fake travel agency, Al Shama Holidays after receiving complaints against the agency.
Police said that taking cognizance of complaints received from several tourists about duping, three cases came were registered at tourist Police Station, Srinagar. They said that during investigation it was surfaced that a fake travel agency by the name of Al Shama Holidays is being run by one Umar Shah alias Suraj Sharma alias Amir son of Ghulam Mohammad Shah resident of Kakawthal Barammulla presently at Mustafabad Zainakote and his wife Shama Hameed daughter of Hameed Sayed, resident of Karwar, Karnataka.
Police investigation found that Shah was not providing any service to the tourists and used to grab the money which was deposited in his accounts. “The accused Umar Shah was arrested on May 7 and office used by the accused couple at Munawarabad Srinagar by the name “Al Shama Holidays” was searched and incriminating documents were seized,” they said.
Police said that the accused was also found involved in previous two criminal cases of cheating and forgery (FIR Numbers 02/2013 and 01/2015 under Sections 420,467,468 RPC 2/32,36(2) Tourist Trade Act) and the charge sheet of both these cases stands filed before the court.
“Investigations have revealed that Shah has married with Shama Hameed D/o Hameed Sayed resident of Karwar Karnataka and the modus operandi of the duo was to lure the innocent tourists through fake websites, emails, WhatsApp and fake itineraries”, Police said.
“The bank accounts which were found in the name of Shama Hameed maintained in Union Bank of India, State Bank of India Karnataka and UCO Bank were frozen and the websites www.ladakhtourism.com was also blocked during the investigation,” he said.
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