In a case highlighting growing cybercrime threats, Azad Maidan police have arrested a 19-year-old man from Uttarakhand for allegedly hacking into the online systems of a private travel agency and fraudulently booking flight tickets worth Rs4 lakh.
The accused, identified as Vimal Garia—also known as Vicky Garia—is a resident of Bageshwar, Uttarakhand. His arrest followed a coordinated operation between the Azad Maidan police in Mumbai and local law enforcement in Bageshwar.
The fraud was discovered by Jitendra Sawant, the HR and Admin Manager of Blue Star Air Travel Services India Pvt. Ltd, during an internal audit conducted on January 21. The audit revealed unauthorized bookings, prompting a police complaint.
According to investigators, Garia gained unauthorized access to the company’s booking system and used it to reserve airline tickets without making payments. Authorities are currently probing whether others were involved or if the scam extended to additional victims.
