The Satellite police have arrested a woman, Unnati Patel, for allegedly defrauding an Ahmedabad-based travel agency and its clients out of over ₹33.87 lakh. This significant scam unfolded after a complaint from Alapbhai Modi, the proprietor of Ajay Modi Travels located in Vastrapur.
Patel had been working with the travel firm on a commission basis since 2022. Initially, she sought to obtain a franchise but when that didn’t pan out, she started managing tour bookings independently while continuing to use the company’s name without authorization.
Investigators revealed that Patel created a fraudulent QR code displaying Ajay Modi Travels’ name, which was actually linked to her personal bank account. Customers attempting to pay for their trips were misled into sending money directly to her instead of the company.
According to authorities, she opened a bank account under ‘Unnati Enterprise’ at a Gandhinagar bank and provided false information to set up the QR code. “The accused manipulated digital payment details to gain the trust of customers and divert funds,” explained Vinod Chaudhary, Police Inspector at Satellite Police Station.
The fraud came to light when several customers approached Ajay Modi Travels seeking refunds for canceled tickets they’d purchased through Patel. Upon investigation, it became clear that none of these payments had reached the company’s accounts.
In total, Patel is believed to have siphoned off more than ₹33.87 lakh through various transactions without passing any amount back to the company or refunding affected customers. To maintain its reputation amid this scandal, Ajay Modi Travels has reportedly reimbursed customers from its own funds, suffering considerable financial losses in the process.
A case has been registered against Patel for cheating and criminal breach of trust. She has since been taken before a court as police continue their investigation into her financial activities and potential accomplices.