R.K. Nagar Police have arrested Sindhoos Banu, the wife of Nainar Mohammed, for allegedly cheating a travel agent out of Rs17 lakh in a Hajj pilgrimage scam. The fraud came to light when Shahul Hameed, a travel agent from Tondiarpet, filed a complaint against the accused.
According to the police, Nainar Mohammed of Karaikudi promised Shahul Hameed that he would arrange a low-cost Hajj pilgrimage for a group of pilgrims. After successfully arranging the pilgrimage for the first batch, Hameed approached Mohammed again for a second batch of 36 pilgrims.
However, instead of completing the second batch’s arrangements, Mohammed allegedly redirected Rs17 lakh from Hameed to his wife, Sindhoos Banu, under the pretense of securing the pilgrimage spots for the second group. When the promised pilgrimage did not materialize, the victim realized he had been deceived and reported the matter to the police.
Police investigations revealed that Sindhoos Banu had been involved in the fraudulent transaction, and she was subsequently arrested on Friday. Authorities are continuing to investigate the full scope of the fraud, including whether others were involved in the scam.
The case highlights the importance of verifying such religious travel arrangements and ensuring that funds are handled securely when dealing with travel agents or organizers.
