Nepal police arrest Telangana men in travel scam
TELANGANA:Â Nepal police on Thursday arrested seven people for allegedly cheating the public by promising to book holiday travel packages at low prices. Police said the accused were running a fake travel lottery scam.
Six of those arrested are from Telangana. Police identified them as Hussain Syed, 39; Sajid Omar Syed, 44; Mohammed Imran, 34; Meer Khalid Hussain, 33; Razak Mohammed, 40; and Samada Giri, 42. All are currently residing in Nepal.
Police said the accused collected 2.765 crore Nepalese rupees from 328 Nepalese citizens. They allegedly told victims that they had won a lottery that would allow them to visit destinations across Asia, Europe and Africa.
Investigators said the group also recruited about 30 Nepalese nationals to run the fraud. Police added that the suspects targeted victims through online advertisements and social media platforms, offering international tour packages at discounted prices.
Officials said complaints surfaced after several victims did not receive travel tickets or refunds despite making payments. Police launched an inquiry and tracked the suspects through financial transactions and digital communication records.
Authorities said further investigation is under way to identify more victims and examine possible links to similar fraud cases. Police are also verifying whether the accused operated multiple bank accounts and communication networks with the help of local associates.
Officials said legal action will follow under Nepal’s laws. Police advised the public to verify travel offers before making payments and to report suspicious schemes.
