On September 16, Matthias van Stee, a Dutch national, landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here on a trip to the Capital and parts of Rajasthan. However, his travel was cut short when a tout he met outside the airport led him to several travel agencies and hotels that duped him of over ₹20,000, forcing him to leave for home a few days later.
According to a mail he wrote to Delhi Police before flying back, Mr. Van Stee was approached by a person at the airport’s pre-paid taxi booth. The man offered him a ride to a hostel for just ₹200. Over the next few hours, he was offered low-cost hotel rooms and cheap travel fares, which Mr. Van Stee accepted, only to realise later that he had been duped.
On October 5, he sent another email to the Delhi Police Commissioner, asking that the money he lost be returned and that strict action be taken against the accused. An officer said they were trying to get in touch with him for more details about the case.
Modus operandi
Mr. Van Stee is among the hundreds of people who have been conned at the IGI Airport by touts this year.
According to the police, the touts lure their victims on the pretext of cheap cab rides and hotel rooms in connivance with pre-paid taxi drivers and hoteliers, all of whom share the money fleeced from the victim.
Explaining the modus operandi, a senior officer said: “Once passengers start walking out of the terminal, the touts target them, claiming to represent pre-paid taxi services with offers to take them to their destination for a cheap fare. During the ride, the accused mislead their victims by claiming to know cheaper hotels and tour operators offering better packages. The tourist is often lured by the offer and ends up being cheated.”
‘Lack of paper trail’
“Due to the lack of a paper trail, it is difficult to trace all the persons who are part of the network. But a lot of hotels in Paharganj and nearby areas are involved,” a senior officer said.
While foreign tourists are more gullible, around 80% of victims are domestic travellers as most foreign tourists now pre-book their hotels and taxi services online from trusted travel companies, the officer added.
Another policeman said most foreign tourists who are duped send emails detailing their ordeal, not wanting to go through the legal process of filing a complaint in India.
Nab touts red-handed
Of all such cheating cases involving touts in the city’s 18 districts till October 15, most of the cases — 120 — were reported from the airport.
The accused in such cases are booked under the Delhi Prevention of Touting and Malpractices against Tourists Act, 2010, which attracts a maximum punishment of one-year imprisonment or a fine of up to ₹10,000 or both.
To catch the suspects red-handed, policemen masquerading as tourists are deployed at the airport.
So far, the police have identified eight touts as habitual offenders. “We may write to the Delhi Transport Department requesting them to cancel the registration of cars of these touts. It is a bailable offence and the accused return to this racket after getting bail,” said another officer.
An official at Delhi International Airport Limited said CCTV cameras are fixed at the arrival gates to catch these touts in action on video. “Whenever we notice such activities, we inform the police.”
DCP (IGIA) Ravi Kumar Singh said efforts were under way to restrict touts from entering airport premises and verify the credentials of pre-paid taxi drivers. “We inform passengers not to fall for cheap offers made by such fraudsters and train our officers to identify and prosecute any person indulging in any illegal activity,” he added.
