Panchkula man given fake tickets for copter ride to Vaishno Devi shrine, loses Rs 45K

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, April 18

A Sector 2 resident was allegedly duped of Rs. 45,000 by a cyber fraudster on the pretext of providing helicopter tickets to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra.

‘Dialled helpline’

“I trusted him and transferred Rs. 45,000 in his Google Pay account. On payment, the suspect shared with me fake tickets for a helicopter ride to the shrine. To clarify my doubts, I dialled the helicopter helpline number from where I got to know that the tickets sent to me were fake.” — Complainant

Akash Bhalla (30), in his complaint, told the police that he came in contact with a person who claimed to be the head of the office managing the affairs of helicopter rides to the shrine. He said the suspect shared with him a link of a fake website of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which promised various services, including a helicopter ride.

“I trusted him and transferred Rs. 45,000 in his Google Pay account. On payment, the suspect shared with me fake tickets for a helicopter ride to the shrine. To clarify my doubts, I dialled the helicopter helpline number from where I got to know that the tickets sent to me were fake,” the FIR reads, quoting the complainant.

A case in this regard was registered under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC at the Sector 5 police station. —

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