WASHINGTON: An Indian American candidate, seeking a council seat in Fairfield City Council of Solano County in California, may be spending time in jail if convicted on charges of ripping off airline customers.
On the eve of November 8 elections authorities arrested Paul Randhawa along with his son and wife for allegedly cheating 15 customers between May 2004 and June 2005 of discounted airline tickets to India.
On election day Randhawa received a mere five per cent of the vote or 1652 votes.
According to the authorities the Randhawa family which operates M&K Travels with offices in Fairfield, San Francisco and San Jose allegedly failed to deliver more than $50,000 worth of discounted air tickets to India; and in two instances clients received refund cheques that bounced.
Randhawa, his wife and son face 31 counts of conspiracy and grand theft, they said.
According to the District Attorney's Office, Paul Randhawa, if convicted, could face 13 years and four months in a state prison along with a fine of $375,000.
But Randhawa's attorney maintains that there are no criminal occurrences. "If anything these are civil matters," attorney Robert Bernstein said.
This is not the first time Randhawa has sought public office in Fairfield having unsuccessfully ran for Mayor and city council there for 20 years.
His supporters find the charges suspicious. On the eve of elections, campaign manager Chuck Hammonds remarked, "We didn't come this far to give up and once he wins of course he will take his seat."
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