India: Delhi police arrest fraudster couple in travel agency scam

On Wednesday, the Delhi Police arrested a fraudster couple allegedly involved in the embezzlement of crores of investors' money through a fake travel agency.

The accused persons have been identified as Satya Parkash Bhardwaj, 52, and Suman Arya. Bhardwaj was popularly known as Natwarlal in the area, the police noted.

The Economic Offence Wing of the Delhi Police registered an FIR on the complaint that a number of victims were being duped by a couple.

They were willfully evading arrest, and fled from Delhi (with their children) in 2018. A reward of Rs. 25,000/- each was declared for the arrest of both in the above-mentioned FIR, according to the police.

The crime branch found out that the couple was residing in Rajasthan (near Jaipur) till April 2022.

Raids were conducted in Rajasthan, and upon discreet enquiry on the ground by team members, pivotal information about the wanted couple emerged — that they were also indulged in cheating activities in Rajasthan — and a case was registered against them in the Chandwaji police station.

The couple allegedly fled from Jaipur on April 2022.

Police teams then conducted raids in Western Uttar Pradesh, and it was revealed that they were in Garh Mukteshwar, in UP's Hapur. They immediately went there, to find that Satya Parkash had again eluded them.

After a chase for about 180km, Satya Parkash was apprehended on August 21, 2022, from the Delhi Cantt. Railway Station, when he was again trying to escape from Delhi by train.

His wife, however, was found in the Upadhayay Colony of Garh Mukteshwar, and was apprehended on Tuesday.

On interrogation, the accused admitted to cheating under various names — Manali Tours & Travels, subsidy programs, the Rashtriya Shiksha Mission, and more — in Delhi and Rajasthan.

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