The man behind allegedly duping Delhi's famous five start hotel Leela Palace was arrested on Sunday. According to the police, the accused impersonated himself as an the staff member of the Government of United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The accused has been identified as Mahamed Shareef (41) from Karnataka's Dakshin Kannada.
He used a fake business card to check into the hotel, said the officials. He had been staying in the hotel for four months. Shareef checked in to the hotel on August 1 last year.
According to reports, he fled with the hotel valuables without settling the bills. The hotel incurred a huge loss worth Rs 23,46,413.
The accused registered at the hotel by impersonating an important functionary of the Office of His Highness Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE government.
The hotel authorities said that Shareef had provided a UAE resident card as well.
A few part settlements of Rs 11.5 lakh was made by him for room charges and the hotel authorities were on the impression that he will settle the rest of the pending bills too.
"One of our in-house guests...run off from the hotel on 20th November 2022 with valuables and also without settling his outstanding bills...has cheated The Leela Palace New Delhi of amount worth INR 23,46,413/- The guest checked into the hotel with a fake business card and had impersonated as an important functionary of the government of United Arab Emirates," reads the FIR in the case.
The report also stated that the total room bill and other amenities added up to Rs 35 lakh.
The complainant had said that it was a completely pre-planned act with a clear intention to deceive the hotel authorities.Â
