Bhubaneswar, Mar 28 (PTI) A court in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday sentenced a man to seven years rigorous imprisonment for cheating people of Rs 1.2 crore in the name of religious tourism.

A special court set up under the Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 2011, at Balasore, pronounced the verdict and also slapped a fine of Rs 2.75 lakh on the convict Nabeel Abdul Mubin Shaikh, said a statement issued by the economic offence wing (EOW) of Odisha crime branch, which investigated the case.

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During the period from 2019-23, Abdul through his tour and travel firm, Al-Adam Tour & Travel Agency, collected Rs 1.2 crore from people of Bhadrak, Balasore, Baripada and other parts of Odisha in the name of the tour to Mecca-Medina, EOW officials said.

Some people who had demanded refund of their money were given cheques, which were dishonoured by banks, they said.

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Later, one of the duped investors lodged a complaint before the EOW in September 2024. A few days after registration of the case, the accused was arrested and forwarded to special court. The police submitted a charge sheet in December 2024.

"The conviction came in just three months and 5 days after submission of the charge sheet and six months and 15 days from the registration of the case," an EOW official said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)