Mysuru: Actor, writer, director and stand-up comedian Srinath Vasishta has filed a Police complaint against a private travel agency for alleged cheating.

Vasishta, along with his friends, had booked a package foreign trip with Mysuru-based ‘Go Enjoy Holidays’, a travel agency, by paying Rs 8.90 lakh. But the agency had allegedly sent them fake air tickets. When the actor contacted one Chandrashekar, who was running the agency, he assured him of returning the money.

According to the complaint with Nazarbad Police, Vasishta has mentioned that Chandrashekar has returned Rs. 3 lakh and now, he is claiming that he has closed the agency and thus cannot return the full amount. Accepting the complaint, the Police have issued an acknowledgement to Srinath Vasishta and have summoned Chandrashekhar on Mar. 5 for interrogation. An FIR is likely to be filed on that day.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Srinath Vasishta said that he lived in Vijayanagar in Bengaluru and in 2018 January, he and his 19 friends from Rotary Jnanodaya and Rotary Greater Club decide to go on a tour to Singapore and Royal Caribbean Cruise.

Srinath said that when they searched on the Internet, they came across ‘Go Enjoy Holidays’ at Siddarthanagar in Mysuru owned by Chandrashekar. “We spoke to him and it was decided that we had to pay Rs. 58,000 per person for a 7-night-and 8-day trip. Some of the members of TV Artistes Sports and Cultural Committee knew Chandrashekar and the deal was finalised and in all, we (20 members) paid Rs 8.90 lakh. Even two of our friends who were not sure of the travel had paid Rs. 35,000 each and Chandrashekhar had promised to return the money in case they did not travel,” Srinath said.

He said that the dates for the travel was finalised and as the flight date drew close, Chandrashekar sent them the tickets. “Shockingly, when we enquired at the airport, the tickets were found to be fake. When we asked an explanation, Chandrashekhar gave lame excuses and promised us to return the money. Accordingly, he returned Rs. 3 lakh,” Srinath said.

Srinath alleged that Chandrashekhar failed to return the money even after one year. “We found out that he was running another travel agency at Vidyapeetha Circle in Bengaluru. When we demanded our money, Chandrashekhar sent us a lawyer notice in August last year that he has applied for insolvency at a Mysuru Court and could not repay the money,” he said.

Fed up by the delay, Srinath lodged a complaint with the Nazarbad Police on Feb. 27 and Inspector Mahadevaswamy has issued an acknowledgment for the complaint. Chandrashekhar has been summoned to the Police Station on Mar. 5 for questioning.