Belgaum couple take tavel agencies for a ride promising flight tickets at half price

A Belgaum couple took travel agencies for a ride by collecting deposits promising flight tickets at half price and providing iPhones and iPads for lower prices. Lakhs of rupees have been collected within a few months.

Hyderabad: A couple living in Belgaum of Karnataka opened a fake organisation by claiming to give people flight tickets at half price and iPhones for low prices. Targeting travel agencies in metro cities on social media, they advertised that the tickets will be given to cities like Hyderabad, Goa, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Kolkata and Mumbai. Consumers were made to believe that the couple have relatives in the airport's customs department and will give an iPhone worth Rs 80,000 for only Rs 45,000.

Lakhs of rupees were collected within a few months. When the representatives of a travel agency from Hyderabad asked the couple to send the flight tickets, they threatened them by saying "We will not give...You can do whatever you want". The Travel Agency representatives, who trusted the couple and gave Rs 20 lakhs, lodged a complaint with the police in Belgaum. Police found out that the accused are currently staying in Hyderabad. Other victims, who have received the news that the police have registered a case, are planning to lodge complaints with the police.

Sudarshan and Sujatha, who reside in Belgaum, have been running an organisation named Dreamfly Aviation and Hospitality Academy for several years. They are taking money by providing small planes to corporate organizations and teams, flight tickets to different cities, and accommodation in five-star hotels.

A few months ago, Chanakya and Uttham from a Hyderabad Travel Agency asked the couple to provide flight tickets and hotel accommodation for their customers. Ten tickets were bought after Sudarshan said that he would give a 50 per cent discount on the tickets and concessions were given. Later, Sudarshan asked to keep Rs 20 lakhs as a deposit. The Travel Agency gave it four months ago. No discount was given when the flight tickets were booked later. When asked about the same, Sudarshan did not reply.

While talking to representatives of travel agencies, Sudarshan and Sujatha said that they would give iPhones and iPads at low prices. One or two iPhones were given for Rs,45,000 and Rs 55,000. As a result, some of Chanakya's friends and those who bought discounted flight tickets from Sudarshan gave thousands of rupees to get iPhones and iPads.

Sudarshan took money from the victims and did not give them iPhones and iPads. If asked, they kept pushing the delivery further. The victims made phone calls to the couple because they were not in Belgaum. As there is no response from Sudarshan and Sujatha, victims are preparing to lodge complaints with the police.