The economic offences wing (EOW) of the Odisha crime branch has arrested the prime accused, Nabeel Abdul Mubin Shaikh, from Mumbai on charges of cheating around 189 Haj pilgrims from Odisha.
The EOW, in a release, said: “A case was registered on the written report of Mir Khursid of Kazimahala, of Dhamnagar, in Bhadrak district against the proprietors of ‘Al-Adam Tour & Travels’ namely Firdos Bi Abdul Mubin Shaikh, her son Nabeel Abdul Mubin Shaikh and daughter Saima Anjum Shaikh, and Md. Bismillah Shaikh, Proprietor of AlIzma Tours & Travels of Vikhroli Kurla, West Mumbai for collecting cash of ₹45,786/- and ₹50,786/- from each of the prospective pilgrims totalling ₹1.2 crore from 189 devotees, during the period from 2019-23, to arrange their pilgrimage to Saudi Arab on the eve of UMRAH. But, the above accused, the proprietors neither took the prospective pilgrims on pilgrimage nor refunded the amount so collected from the Muslim devotees.”
It was found during the investigation that from 2019 to 2023, the accused proprietors of M/s Al-Adam Tour & Travel Agency floated advertisements on social media apart from distributing leaflets containing the lucrative packages, contact details etc. whereby they motivated the Muslim devotees to avail the opportunity under two of their tour packages of ₹45,786 and ₹50,786 per individual pilgrim to go on Umrah pilgrimage to Arab countries like Mecca-Madina etc.
The EOW officials said: “They assured the pilgrims of cheap, secured and safe pilgrimage. Devotees from Bhadrak, Balasore, Baripada and other parts of Odisha deposited their respective amounts in the given accounts in the advertisements through bank transfers, apart from paying in UPI and even by cash under money receipts.”
“After collection of massive amount, the proprietors went on deferring the date of pilgrimage on many pretexts/excuses over the years from 2019-23, and finally switched off their mobile phones and remained absconded by closing down their office,” the release said.
The accused persons have diverted the deposited amount to their personal and many other accounts and even withdrawn the amount by using ATM.
