Bhubaneswar: A court in Odisha’s Balasore district Friday sentenced a man to seven years rigorous imprisonment for cheating people of Rs 1.2 crore in the name of religious tourism.
A special court set up under the Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 2011, at Balasore, pronounced the verdict and also slapped a fine of Rs 2.75 lakh on the convict Nabeel Abdul Mubin Shaikh, said a statement issued by the economic offence wing (EOW) of Odisha crime branch, which investigated the case.
During the period from 2019-23, Abdul, through his tour and travel firm, Al-Adam Tour & Travel Agency, collected Rs 1.2 crore from people of Bhadrak, Balasore, Baripada and other parts of Odisha in the name of the tour to Mecca-Medina, EOW officials said.
Some people who had demanded a refund of their money were given cheques, which were dishonoured by banks, they said.
Later, one of the duped investors lodged a complaint before the EOW in September 2024. A few days after registration of the case, the accused was arrested and forwarded to a special court. The police submitted a charge sheet in December 2024.
“The conviction came in just three months and 5 days after submission of the charge sheet and six months and 15 days from the registration of the case,” an EOW official said.
PTI
