The Kadavanthra police on Thursday night arrested a person on the charge of cheating people by offering them holiday packages to Lakshadweep Islands.
The arrested is Abdul Salaam, 44, of Kaloor, who had been absconding since the police had registered a case, was picked up from near the South railway station.
Nearly 10 people who were allegedly duped by the accused had petitioned the District Police Chief (Kochi City) who in turn directed the Kadavanthra police nab him. “Though he was a licensed tour operator in the past, he no longer has the licence, yet continues as a freelance operator,” the police said.
“He had developed a portal publishing Lakshadweep tour package offers with an uncanny similarity with the portal of an authorised operator. Unsuspecting tourists used the website and ended up duped. He collected money promising the package only to back out later,” said A.L. Abhilash, Sub Inspector, Kadavanthra.
He added that the accused was suspected to have duped travellers of around ₹12 lakh though he might have returned part of it. The accused had been charged with similar cheating cases under the South and Kadavanthra police station limits in the past.
The police have registered a case invoking IPC Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property).
He was produced in court and remanded.
