The police have arrested a 44-year-old woman, Sindhoos Banu, for allegedly defrauding a travel agent of over Rs17 lakh through a fraudulent Haj pilgrimage scheme. Banu, from Villivakkam, was taken into custody after a complaint was filed by 47-year-old Shahul Hameed, a travel agent from Tondiarpet.
According to the police, Hameed became acquainted with Banu’s husband, Nainar Mohammed, during a trip to Mecca. Mohammed offered to arrange group tour packages for the Haj pilgrimage, which led Hameed to collect money from 94 individuals. He deposited these funds into Banu’s bank account in April, and the first group of pilgrims left for the pilgrimage.
However, when the first batch of travelers returned, they complained about the substandard services, which led Hameed to warn the second batch of 36 individuals who had also signed up. As they demanded refunds, Hameed asked for the Rs17 lakh he had deposited earlier to be returned, but the couple refused.
A police complaint followed, which led to Banu’s arrest. Authorities revealed that her husband, Nainar Mohammed, had moved to Saudi Arabia for work, leaving Banu to handle the financial dealings.
The investigation is ongoing as police work to uncover the full extent of the scam.