Engineer Arrested for Alleged Haj Pilgrimage Scam

A 24-year-old engineer, Mohammad Irfan, was arrested for allegedly scamming a man of almost Rs 3 lakh by promising discounted Haj pilgrimage tickets. He lured victims through social media ads and is a repeat offender with a previous case in Lucknow. The police are further investigating.

A 24-year-old engineer has been arrested for allegedly defrauding a man of nearly Rs 3 lakh under the guise of providing discounted tickets for the Haj pilgrimage, according to local police reports.

The suspect, Mohammad Irfan, was apprehended in Lucknow. Police sources state that he used social media advertisements to attract victims. Irfan had previously been arrested in a similar case in Lucknow in 2022, for which he was out on bail.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Joy Tirkey confirmed that Irfan, a B.Tech graduate in computer science from a reputable Mumbai college, deceived a Delhi man into paying Rs 2.83 lakh, claiming it covered travel expenses and visa fees for the pilgrimage. An FIR was filed, and a subsequent investigation led to Irfan's capture. Five mobile phones and a laptop were seized, and further inquiries are underway.

(With inputs from agencies.)