Delhi: Auto driver held for cheating US tourist

An auto-rickshaw driver was arrested from Geeta Colony area of the national capital for allegedly cheating a tourist from the United States, police said on Monday.

The arrested person has been identified as Ram Preet, who hails from Bihar's Muzaffarpur and had been living in New Delhi for the past several years.

According to the police, the tourist was cheated by several persons, including an auto-rickshaw driver, a taxi driver and a few other people who pretended to be employees of a tourist office in the city.

"The tourist was informed that the roads are blocked and Delhi is closed due to festival season. He was taken to a tourist office in Gole Market. The official of this office also misguided him and prepared a tour plan to Agra and Jaipur and charged $ 1,294," police said in a statement.

On reaching Agra, the tourist contacted the hotel he had initially booked and was informed that the city was not closed and that he had been cheated, following which he filed a complaint at Mandir Marg police station in the matter.

A case has been registered under Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 4(c) the Delhi Prevention of Touting and Malpractices against Tourists (DPT & MAT) Act.

The investigation is on in the case and efforts are being made to arrest others.