A retired Chief Engineer of PHE department has been duped to the tune of Rs 9.60 lakh in the name of sending him on Haj pilgrimage; accused provided fake plane tickets and a fake Arab visa which was revealed at Delhi airport on June 24.

The entire fraud was revealed during check-in at Delhi Airport after which the victim returned to Bhopal and lodged a complaint with Aishbgah police. After investigation, Aishbagh police have registered a case of fraud against the tour operator.

ASI Pawan Raghuvanshi said that Shahid Hasan (62) lives in Naveen Nagar, Aishbagh, he was posted as Chief Engineer in the PHE department and retired a year ago.

In his complaint Shahid told the police that he and his wife contacted Rafiq Khan, the operator of a travel agency named Al Haj Sahulat Umrah Tour Organization, through an advertisement to go on Haj 2024. When the trip was finalized, he transferred Rs 4.60 lakh in January and later gave a cheque of Rs 3 lakh and finally provided Rs 2 lakh in cash.

On reaching Delhi airport at the time of checking-in at the airport the employees told him that the ticket and visa were fake. From there, when Shahid spoke to the operator of the travel agency, Rafiq, on the phone, he started misleading them.

After realizing that he had been cheated, Shahid reached Bhopal and lodged a complaint at the Aishbagh police station.

After three months of investigation, the police have registered a case against the accused Rafiq Khan and started searching for him. Police said that the accused operates an office in Mulla Colony, Karond, and he is being searched by raiding his possible hideouts.