The Hindu : New Delhi News : German tourist cheated in Agra

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

German tourist cheated in Agra

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 22. A German tourist was cheated of about Rs. 1.5 lakhs in Agra by a man who had befriended her earlier. While the Agra police arrested the accused, the victim has alleged that he was part of a gang of cheats who were active despite police knowing about them.

In her complaint -- on the basis of which a FIR was registered at Tajganj police station in Agra and the accused, Raju, a resident of Agra, was arrested -- Elisabeth Kaulfuss, a German passport holder, said she had met Raju at Kovalam in Kerala on her visit there in the beginning of last year. Raju and she happened to stay in the same guesthouse and they soon became friendly.

Elisabeth left Kovalam after a few days and happened to meet Raju in Ujjain in April 2004. Raju then managed to gain the woman's trust further by inviting him to his sister's house there and also taking her around several temples and ashrams. In May 2004, Elisabeth went to Agra and met Raju. She stayed in a guesthouse and it was Raju's brother who paid her bills. Raju introduced her to another person, Haji, owner of a precious stones store, as his friend and business partner. Elisabeth also bought two rings from Haji's store.

A few days later, Raju told Elisabeth that he needed Rs. 1.43 lakhs urgently. He told her that the construction of his house would be stalled if he did not pay up the pending bills to the contractor. The lady agreed and Raju took money in the presence of Haji. Raju had promised that he would return the money in July once he completed a major jewellery order.

The German tourist then left Agra and visited various places before going to Kathmandu. In the meantime, she tried to contact Raju and Haji but in vain. In December 2004, she came back to Agra and met Raju. But he refused to give her money back.

Elisabeth then informed her friend Mike, who came from Germany, and the two approached the police. But the local police tried to scuttle the matter by convincing the woman to settle for a compromise. On December 3 2004, as per the compromise, arrived at between her, Raju and Haji in the presence of police, Rs. 50,000 was given to Ms. Elisabeth. Raju promised to give another Rs. 1 lakh by December 28.

But when the promise was not met and all efforts by Elisabeth to get her money back, she got an FIR registered at Tajganj police station. Raju was arrested on charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust and threatening.

However, Elisabeth claimed that Haji, who has refused to recognise Raju ever since the case was registered, was also part of the gang along with a few others. She also alleged that Haji was threatening her friend, Aslam, and also beat him a couple of times. He wanted him to accept another Rs. 50,000 and forget about the case.

The victim has now filed an appeal in the civil court in Agra to get her money back. "But it is going to take a lot of time. And if the police do not take action against the gang other tourists are also likely to be cheated in a similar manner," said Elisabeth.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi

News Update

Stories in this Section