Court denies pre-arrest bail in Rs 22.90 lakh senior citizen cheating case

The District and Sessions Court in Faridkot has rejected the pre-arrest bail applications of three individuals accused in a cheating case involving ₹22.90 lakh, allegedly defrauded from senior citizens.

The accused, including a woman, are alleged to have collected the money for a tour package, which never materialised, and reportedly created fake air tickets and hotel bookings.

The court emphasized the gravity of the allegations, stating that custodial interrogation of the accused is crucial for a thorough investigation. Releasing them on bail, the court noted, could impede the ongoing probe.

An FIR was filed by the Faridkot Police against directors and employees of Chandigarh-based Avidfly Vacations Pvt. Ltd. This action followed a complaint from a group of elderly citizens who claimed they paid approximately ₹23 lakh for a tour scheduled for January 2025, but the trip was cancelled.

Harmanpreet Singh and Supinder Singh, identified as directors, and Mandeep Kaur, the CEO, have been booked under various sections of the BNS based on evidence, including bank records, emails and WhatsApp chats.

Notably, Harmanpreet Singh is also facing a separate cheating case filed by Chandigarh Police in April, where he was accused of failing to deliver a Singapore tour package after accepting ₹2.71 lakh from a Mohali resident.