Retd postal dept employee cheated of Rs 50L by travel agents promising Haj pilgrimage

Ahmedabad: A 66-year-old pensioner from Sarkhej filed a complaint with the Gaekwad Haveli police station on Thursday, alleging that he was defrauded of Rs 50 lakh by travel agents who promised a Haj pilgrimage for his family members in 2024.Mohammad Ilyas Mustufamia, who retired from India Post in 2019, lives in Hajibava Park near Sonal Cinema on Sarkhej Road. He visited Al-Murtaza Tours and Travels in Jamalpur in Sep 2023 on the recommendation of his friend Sadiq Sheikh. There, he met the proprietor Mohammad Rafiq Qureshi, his two sons Faisal and Furkan Qureshi, and their business associate Javed Ibrahim Sheikh from Al-Khizir Tours, Vadodara.The tour package was fixed at Rs 5 lakh per individual, and Mustufamia paid the entire sum of Rs 50 lakh through various payment methods, including cheques, online transfers, and cash between Sep and Nov 2023. The payments were distributed among different associates of the agency, including Furkan Qureshi and Javed Sheikh.Although the agency provided a notarised acknowledgement on Dec 8, 2023, confirming receipt of the full payment, they failed to make any arrangements for Haj. The agents later informed Mustufamia about their inability to secure the 2024 Haj quota and promised a refund, which never materialised.Mustufamia, in his police complaint, accused Rafiq Qureshi, his two sons, and Javed Sheikh of deliberately collecting money through false promises. The Gaekwad Haveli police have registered a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust and started an investigation.