Man held for cheating people on the promise of providing Visas for Haj, Umra

Police have arrested a man for duping people in the name of providing Visas for Haj/Umra.

According to Delhi police, in the year 2017-2018, one Intezar Sayed Mehndi, working as a tour operator in Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin in Go Air Travels promised the people of the area that he will arrange Visas for HAJ/Umra for them.

In return, he charged Rs 3-4 lakh per person for that purpose. He collected the money from almost 40-50 people for this purpose. After collecting money from innocent people, he fled away.

Irshad Ahmad registered a complaint against him as he was duped of Rs 2.80 lakh by him. Accordingly, a case under section 420 IPC was registered and the investigation was taken up.

During the course of the investigation, the mobile number of the accused person was put on surveillance and he was traced to his in-laws' house at Mohalla Nayaganj Distt. Kaushambi UP. During the investigation, Intezar Sayed Mehandi, 54, a resident of Mohalla Nayaganj District Kaushambi, UP was arrested.

On sustained interrogation, the accused disclosed that he has been working in this field since 2010. In the year 2015, he met one visa section officer of Saudi Arabia, Fakruddin Umar Ansari introduced him to a Saudi Arabia national, who works as security officer in Saudi Embassy and asked to give him Rs 60 lakh for the 55 Visas. But the said security officer was transferred from there to his nation in 2016.

Visa officer Fakruddin Umar Ansari died in the embassy. So, neither could he arrange a Visa for the aspirants of Haj yatra nor did he return their money. Thereafter, for returning the money, Mehandi collected some more money from other people in the name of Haj/Umra in 2017-2018.

The accused further contacted another middleman in the Saudi Embassy to help him arrange the VISA during the period of Haj yatra. He also gave Rs 10 lakh to the middleman to arrange VISAs of HAJ/Umra but he failed to get even single Visa. So, the accused fled away with the money of aspirants of Haj Yatra/Umra. He disclosed that he was formerly arrested by the ATS, Andhra Pradesh in a money transfer case by money exchanger.

Accused Intezar Sayed Mehandi has studied up to Class 12. He is previously involved in a case of illegal money transfer.

( With inputs from ANI )