Ahmednagar: A firm allegedly charged the citizens Rs 1.5 lakh on the lure of providing a stay in a five-star hotel for a holiday trip of six to seven days. After the payment of money, nobody from the firm came into contact with regard to the package. The police have booked the three persons including executive director of AR Holidays Amit Rana, Sarfaraz and Swapnil Sale.
According to the police, the Vasai-based company conducted a seminar on June 10, 2022, at Hotel Paradise in Ahmednagar. They promised the citizens a free stay in a five-star hotel for one trip on attending the seminar. Accordingly, many citizens attended the seminar, where the firm said that hotel facilities in India and Asian countries for six nights and seven days every year will be provided if the citizens invest Rs 1.5 lakh in the company for the next five years. The amount was taken from many citizens online or in cash. Some citizens were charged separately, according to the package.
A letter and a free hotel voucher for one trip were given for attending the seminar. However, the hotels were not made available to the investors even after the demand. The company did not take notice even after the investors repeatedly contacted them by phone and mail. On the contrary, a utility charge of Rs 1,999 was demanded from the investors at the end of the year. It was said that hotel bookings would be available only if these charges were paid. Swapnil Sale, who made a presentation in the seminar on behalf of the company, also did not help the investors later. He asked to contact Amit Rana, Vrinda, and Suvarna Bhogal, who also did not provide any facilities. Therefore, the citizens reached out to the police against the firm. Ahmednagar residents Sujata Lanke, Anjali Deshmukh and Rajendra Ghodke have lodged a complaint following which a case was registered.