Nagpur: In a shocking case of fraud, Pachpaoli Police have registered an offence against a local travel agent who allegedly cheated multiple citizens by promising a spiritual tour to Thailand and collecting lakhs in the process.
The accused has been identified as Sujit Sheshrao Chavan (35), a resident of Kashmiri Galli, Pachpaoli. Chavan runs a travel firm under the name Tharushika World Tourism.
According to police sources, the fraudulent scheme revolved around the annual Dhamma and Samadhi Sadhna Camp hosted by the King of Thailand at Swarn Bhoomi. Over the years, the camp has attracted many spiritual seekers from Nagpur.
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31 July 2025
This year, local resident Asha Hemant Shingode was tasked with mobilizing participants and promoting the tour. She introduced interested individuals — many of them senior citizens and retired professionals — to Chavan, who assured them of handling ticket bookings and immigration.
Participants were asked to pay ₹50,000 each, although the original tour cost was reportedly ₹35,000. Around 60 people signed up, paying Chavan for the promised travel package.
The group was scheduled to travel to Thailand via Hyderabad on April 12, with prior train travel arranged through Vande Bharat Express from Nagpur on April 11. However, Chavan sent flight tickets to only a few participants and failed to arrange return tickets. As the travel date approached, panic set in among the group, and many decided to cancel due to the confusion and lack of communication.
Soon after, Chavan became unreachable. Multiple calls and messages went unanswered, leaving victims stranded and without recourse.
So far, 10 individuals have filed complaints, collectively reporting losses amounting to ₹6.18 lakh. Police suspect that many more could have been duped and are urging additional victims to come forward with evidence.
Pachpaoli Police have launched a probe and are gathering further details regarding the fraudulent activities of Chavan. Legal action is underway, and the search is on to trace the accused.
