TV
The Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (OPID) Court has sentenced Abdul Mubin to seven years of imprisonment on the charges of defrauding people under the pretext of arranging Haj pilgrimage tours. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.75 lakh, warning of additional imprisonment if the fine is not paid.
Fraudulent Scheme Exposed
Mubin, who ran a travel agency, lured innocent individuals with promises of facilitating their pilgrimage to Mecca. According to the prosecution, he collected Rs1.2 crore from 189 individuals, falsely assuring them of a hassle-free Haj pilgrimage. However, after receiving the money, he failed to make the necessary arrangements, leaving the victims stranded and financially drained.
Also Read: Haj Pilgrimage fraud: Odisha EOW nabs accused from Mumbai for ‘duping’ over Rs 1 Cr from 189
Background Of The Case
The case was registered in 2024 and the accused Nabeel Abdul Mubin Shaikh was arrested on 27.09.2024 from Mumbai.
The case was registered based on the written report of Mir Khursid of Bhadrak district in Odisha against the proprietors of ‘Al-Adam Tour & Travels’ namely Firdos Abdul Mubin Shaikh, her son Nabeel Abdul Mubin Shaikh and daughter Saima Anjum Shaikh, and Md. Bismillah Shaikh, Proprietor of Al-Izma Tours & Travels of Vikhroli Kurla, West Mumbai.
It was then alleged that the above accused collected cash of Rs.45,786 and Rs.50,786 from over 180 each of the prospective pilgrims, amounting to Rs.1.2 crore during the period from 2019-23, to arrange their pilgrimage to Saudi Arab on the eve of UMRAH.
The proprietors neither took the prospective pilgrims on pilgrimage nor did they refund the amount so collected from them, investigating officials said.
Senior officials informed that after getting information through the lucrative offer through various platforms, devotees from Bhadrak, Balasore, Baripada and other parts of Odisha, deposited their respective amounts in the given accounts in the advertisements through bank transfer, apart from paying in UPI and even by cash under money receipts given by the accused proprietors.
