Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 7: Over a hundred Hajj aspirants who were caught in an infamous Al-Hajeej fraud in 2011, have not been reimbursed their money despite the passage of eight years.
Al-Hajeej, a private Tour and Travel company had cheated hundreds of Hajj Aspirants in 2011 and collected money from them for organizing Hajj to Mecca. However, the company did not provide them any travel documents and managed to collect Rs 10 crore instead.
A total of 500 aspirants had deposited a minimum of Rs 1.2 lakh for the pilgrimage. Although the issue of 350 had been settled, 150 people were reimbursed for about 50 percent of the money and the remaining amount is outstanding despite court directing the company to refund the full amount.
Following the fraud, the aspirants filed a complaint in the consumer court which directed the company to refund the money to the aspirants along with the compensation. “The complainant is allowed and an award for Rs 1.40 lakhs each is passed in favor of complainants along with compensation of Rs. 20, 000 each for pain, agony, and inconvenience that he must have gone through together with litigation costs of Rs 5,000 bringing total liability of respondents towards the complainant to Rs 3.25 lakhs which is paid to them or deposited in commission within four weeks from now,” the court order read.
A couple from Bagh-e-Mehtab area of Srinagar said that they have received less than 50% of the amount. “Out of 3.25 lakhs they have only received Rs 2,12,800 and remaining balance 1,12,200 is still pending,” they said.
Fabiyan Wahid Gilkar, owner of the company, was arrested in 2012 by the police. He was asked to deposit an amount of Rs 2 crore in the account of Sessions Court and granted bail. He even promised to take the duped aspirants to Hajj but disappeared without fulfilling the terms.
“The respondents did not provide the promised services and instead put complainant to pecuniary loss, they instituted this complaint about the rectification of grievances. During the course of proceedings, respondents were summoned who do not appear; consequent upon their right to file written version was closed on 16.10.2012 where after complainant adduced evidence when pleas taken in the complaint are supported,” the order read.
Meanwhile, two FIRs were registered in the Khanyar police station in Gilkar’s name, his company and some others for cheating.
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