KOCHI: A conman, who duped several people of money running in to lakhs after feigning as an authorised tour operator to Lakshadweep, has landed in police custody. Abdul Salam, 45, son of Abdulla, ‘Cherukayil’, Agatti, staying on rented premises at Karukapally here, was arrested by Kadavanthra police.
“He was arrested on the basis of the complaint from five high-ranking military officers who came to Kochi to go to Lakshadweep. In most of the cases, people won’t complain as they don’t know whom to approach in Kochi for lodging complaint. This is how he kept on duping people,” said an officer.
Abdul Salam carried out the fraud with the help of a website. Hundreds of gullible persons, most of them hailing from northern India, were duped of Rs 2-3 lakh, an officer said. Police said Salam instructed those who had booked tickets via his site to come down to Kochi for receiving tickets to Lakshadweep. He will then cancel the tickets under some pretext and went underground after switching off his mobile. Kadavanthra police have registered six cases against Salam.