Mumbai Crime News: 28-Year-Old Versova Lodge Manager Booked For Not Reporting Foreign Guest, Tampering Register

Mumbai: The Versova police booked lodge manager Sampad Kalal, 28, for allegedly failing to provide information about foreign customers to the police and for not updating their details on the police website. During the investigation, the police found that the nationality column in the register had been tampered with. The lodge had also provided accommodation to an Ethiopian woman without verifying her visa documents.

About The Case

As per the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, lodges, guest houses, and Musafir Khanas are required to inform the police about customer details. The case was registered on July 26.

According to the FIR, on July 26, the police visited Bungalow 125, Elight Enclave, located on Jankidevi School Road in Versova, Andheri West. The police asked lodge manager Sampad Kalal to present the guest register for inspection. Upon checking, the police found an entry made on June 29 at 11:53 AM for room number 302, under the name "Sergui". The font used in the nationality column for this entry had been tampered with, and the nationality was mentioned as “Ind”.

The police then asked for the relevant documents of the individual. The manager provided a copy of the guest’s passport, which revealed that the actual name was Bethelhem Alemu, and her nationality was Ethiopian, not Indian as written in the register.

When asked for additional documents, the manager admitted that they had taken only the passport copy and had not collected other necessary documents, including the visa.

As per the rules, any accommodation establishment must inform the local police about foreign guests or upload their information on the Mumbai Citizen Police website. The police booked the manager under Section 223 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.