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Mumbai: Twenty-two Hajj pilgrims from Amravati were left devastated after their pilgrimage was cancelled due to fake visas allegedly provided by a Kurla-based travel agent. The group had paid nearly Rs.15 lakh to the agent, identified as Sohail Khan of Al Izma Tours, only to discover at the last minute that their visas were counterfeit.
Not only did the group miss the once-in-a-lifetime journey, but they also lost the hard-earned money they had scraped together to make the trip. Sohail Khan has been arrested.
About The Fraud
The fraud came to light on the night of July 21 when the group arrived at Mumbai International Airport from Amravati. During routine checks, Immigration Officer Ganesh Gawli noticed something suspicious — all the visa numbers were nearly identical. On scanning the barcodes, it was revealed that each visa, despite having different names printed, was linked to the same individual named Qureshi.
Realizing the visas were fake, immigration officials detained the group for further questioning. It was revealed that the visas had been arranged through their local coordinator in Amravati, who in turn had approached Sohail Khan of Al Izma Tours in Kurla.
Following the revelations, Gawli alerted the Mumbai Police, who registered a case of cheating and fraud against Khan. He was subsequently arrested. Authorities are investigating whether more pilgrims may have been duped in a similar manner.
