PORVORIM
A number of tourists who have been victims of a holiday package scam went to the office of the North Goa Superintendent of Police on Saturday morning, after being unhappy with the slow pace of investigations and to demand the refund of their money.
However, the SP was not in office and they later spoke to media persons about their plight.
They claimed that a travel company located at Anjuna has cheated several tourists across India to the tune of around Rs 40-50 lakh by offering them several services under tour packages.
Speaking on behalf of tourists, Aman Kumar Modi from Kerala stated that Beatrix Holiday Private Ltd had allegedly induced him to obtain company package of Rs 1.9 lakh with service benefits of providing tour package having link with various 4 star hotels within India and abroad.
Modi claimed that when he tried to avail the benefits, the company failed to provide any tour service and also failed to refund the amount, thereby cheating the complainant to the tune of Rs 1.9 lakh.
Modi said he filed a complaint against Gaurish Ratnakar Shirodker, owner of Beatrix Holidays Private Ltd, at the Panaji police station and an FIR was registered on June 15 under Section 318(4) read with 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Madi stated that Shirodkar also has a second travel company, Go Life Vacation OPC Private Ltd.
Modi further mentioned that other tourists, Nilesh Patil from Pune, Rekhansh Jain from Hyerabad, Milan Solanki from Ahmedabad and Suraj Basleri from Pune have also filed cheating complaints with the company,
So far, seven FIRs have been registered and they have been registered at the Panaji police station (3), Anjuna police station (2), Calangute police station (1), and the Economic Offence Cell of Police department (1).
According to Modi, the modus operandi has been the same in all cases.
“Tourist were introduced to these companies by touts. The company took the tourists to the big hotels and offered them attractive services like 40% discounts in travel, etc. and induced them to sign an agreement for 10 years,” said Modi.
“However, when the tourists approached the company to avail of the services, their phone calls were not received and both these companies have shut down their operations”.
“The police investigation is moving at a very slow pace. Hence, we had come to meet the North Goa SP and request him to expedite the investigation, as well as to have the money refunded to us at the earliest,” Modi added.
