New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS): The man, who impersonated as a UAE government functionary and duped The Leela Palace Hotel in the national capital of Rs 23 lakh, was fond of a luxurious lifestyle and could not get sleep if not on a hotel bed, said an official on Monday.
Identified as Mohammed Sharif (41), the accused stayed at The Leela Palace Hotel in the Sarojini Nagar area for three months and fled without settling his outstanding bills of more than Rs 23 lakh. He also stole some hotel valuables.
The accused was arrested on January 19 from Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka.
On Interrogation, Sharif revealed that he checked into the hotel with a fake business card and impersonated himself as an important functionary of the Government of United Arab Emirates (Office of His Highness Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan).
"He also gave a resident card of the United Arab Emirates on his arrival on August 1, 2022. After staying for about 3.5 months, the accused fled the hotel with valuables and submitted a post dated cheque for Rs 20 lakhs, but due to insufficient funds, the cheque bounced which clearly signified his malafide intentions and a clear intent to deceive hotel authorities," said a senior police official.
According to the FIR accessed by IANS, the man had also made a few part settlements in the months of August and September, 2022 worth Rs 11.5 lakh for room charges, the total outstanding still stands at INR 23,48,413 against which he had issued a post-dated cheque for INR 20 lakh due for November 21, 2022 which was duly submitted to the bank on September 22, 2022, but due to insufficient funds, the cheque bounced.
"On November 20, 2022 around 1 p.m., the man fled with hotel valuables and this seems to be completely pre-planned since we were under the impression that by November 22, 2022 hotel will get the dues cleared through the cheque he had submitted," read the FIR.
The Delhi Police had registered an FIR on January 13 under sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating), and 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc.,) of the Indian Penal Code.