Dentists cheated by travel agents

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 21

A recent case where doctors of the Indian Dental Association (IDA) were duped by travel agents has come to the fore.

As per one of the complainant, Sachin Dev Mehta, who is state secretary of the (IDA) Punjab, “There are more than 200 members who have been duped by an agency. Each member has paid an amount of Rs 34,750.”

As per the complaint that has been marked to the Jalandhar Police commissioner, a Gujarat-based travel agency had to take a group of dentists to Dubai for an international conference. “The idea was also to promote dental tourism and we came in contact with the agency,” said Mehta. The doctors had to go to Dubai on June 20 for five days, but despite taking full payment, the agency owners did not book their flight tickets and hotel.

The complaint reads, “A WhatsApp group was formed in which members of the Dental Association were added. It was agreed that an initial amount of Rs 15,000 would be paid and the balance would be paid on the finalisation of air ticket, hotel booking and visa, which were all part of the said package price per head.

“When the members deposited the money, the three accused (all family members) then asked the members to pay the entire amount so that they could make proper arrangements for the tour,” the complaint further reads. 

Mehta claimed that a total amount of Rs 76 lakh had been paid by 217 members of the association. 

He said there were around seven doctors of the city along with others from various districts who had fallen prey to the travel agency.

ACP (Investigation) Gurmail Singh said he had received the inquiry on Wednesday and he had called the complainants to record their statements. “Investigation is going on and the matter will get solved soon,” he said.

The number of cases related to persons getting duped by travel agents is on the rise in the Doaba region. Be it Jalandhar, Kapurthala or Nawanshahr, the problem is haunting every district.