Udupi: Police in Karnataka have arrested a 67-year-old man from Tamil Nadu for duping a five-star hotel in the coastal town of Manipal where he stayed for three days and tried to flee without footing his bills.
Identified as Vincent John from Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, the accused was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a local court. Police interrogation revealed that John has been a habitual offender, who defrauded several star hotels in Delhi, Maharashtra and Kerala over the years. He had 49 cases pending against him in these states.
According to police, John checked into a star hotel in Manipal on December 7 saying he had come to the town to attend a seminar. He had told the hotel manager that he would stay till December 12 and he would pay the advance on December 9. John's fluent English and his rich demeanour made the hotel staff believe his words. His bill ran to Rs 39,298 which included room rent, lunch and breakfast charges.
When the hotel staff went to his room to seek payment on Dec 9 as promised by him, they did not find him and his luggage in the room. Phone calls to him also went unanswered following which the hotel management lodged a complaint with the Manipal police. A team of police led by Police Inspector Devaraj succeeded in arresting John near the Tiger Circle in Manipal around 6.30 pm on the same day.
John has 49 cases against him, says SP
Udupi Superintendent of Police K Arun Kumar said that John has been in a habit of staying in star hotels and fleeing without paying bills since 1996. He has duped several star hotels across the country including Delhi, Thane in Maharashtra and Kollam in Kerala, the police officer said. A total of 49 cases have been registered against him in various police stations across the country, he added.
"After his arrest, Manipal police produced John before the Udupi court today, Dec 12 and the court sent him in judicial custody for 14 days," Kumar said.
