They were threatened jail as city-based holiday operator fails to pay dues to his Chinese counterpart
A tour package to Hong Kong turned into a nightmare for Mumbai-based doctors and their family members after the tour operator failed to pay money to his China- based agent. The family members were denied services and were threatened to be jailed in China.
The Malad Medical Association (MMA) had organised a tour for its doctor and their families to Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen and had paid Rs 58 lakh to Vinayak Zarekar, owner of Opex Tour and Travels. The group of 25 persons started their journey on May 16. However, on May 20 the group was taken aback when suddenly the local tour operator in Shenzhen denied them any service and were shunted out of the hotel rooms.
The MMA members wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and sought her help. They then managed to file a First Information Report at Dahisar police station. The family members of the doctors were denied hotel amenities after Zarekar, the accused in the case, failed to pay money to his Chinese counterpart.
The letter which was written by the members, (a copy of which is with DNA), states that the local tour operator threatened them to hand them over to the Chinese police if they failed to make the payments. Moreover, the tour operator in Mumbai did not pay Honk Kong Dollars in exchange of Rupees.
Dr Anil Suchak, Managing trustee, MMA, said, "The doctors and their family members had to suffer due to miscommunication between the tour operators and so we registered a complaint against him."
"The doctors and their family members are now safe and their tour has commenced after the operator made the payment to his China-based agent," said Suchak.
Subhash Sawant, Senior Inspector, Dahisar police station said, "We have registered a case under section 420(cheating) against the tour operator and we are investigating further. It is important that the families stuck in China should return safely back to India."
When DNA contacted Zarekar, he said, "The tour is on and I have managed to pay money to the tour operator in China. The complaint will be sorted out soon. The families are safe."
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