Mumbai Tour Operator Arrested for Haj Scam

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police arrested Nabeel Abdul Mubin Shaikh, a Mumbai-based tour operator, for allegedly defrauding 189 individuals of Rs 1.2 crore under the pretense of arranging Haj pilgrimages from 2019 to 2023. Victims, who paid between Rs 46,000 and Rs 50,000 each, were repeatedly promised travel dates that were postponed, ultimately discovering that the travel agency's contact information was fictitious. An investigation began after victims reported their grievances, leading to Shaikh's arrest in Mumbai and subsequent remand to judicial custody. In a separate case, a 24-year-old engineer named Mohammad Irfan was arrested in Lucknow for swindling a man of nearly Rs 3 lakh by offering discounted Haj tickets through social media ads. Both cases highlight the growing issue of pilgrimage-related fraud targeting Muslim devotees, with authorities actively pursuing these criminals to protect potential victims. The EOW has seized evidence including mobile phones and financial documents during their investigations.