Sale of air tickets on exorbitant rates: CBK carries out searches at offices of nine travel agents

Srinagar : The Crime Branch Kashmir (CBK) on Saturday carried out searches at multiple locations across Srinagar City with regard to the alleged sale of air tickets on exorbitant rates by travel agents and carious airlines.
In a statement issued on Saturday the Crime Branch Kashmir( CBK) carried out searches at a number of locations across Srinagar City in connection with a case under FIR number 03/2020 under section 120, 468, 471, 409, 120-B IPC, regarding the alleged sale of air tickets on exorbitant rates by travel agents and various airlines operating in Srinagar sector.
“In this regard, searches were conducted in the offices of nine travel agents and the residential premises of a sales manager of one of the airlines,” the statement said.
It added that the CBK had received a complaint from different Travel Associations and Trade bodies through Director Tourism, Kashmir regarding dry selling/offline selling of bulk tickets by airlines staff to the ticketing agents in advance in violation of the standing norms and procedure. “The complaint further alleged that travel agents in league with Airlines staff are creating artificial inflation of prices.”
“During the investigation, the Crime Branch Kashmir had summoned representatives of various airlines viz, Vistara, Go Air, Indigo, Air India, Air Asia and Spice-jet U/S 160 CrPC along with relevant records,” the statement said.
It added that the investigation has revealed that a large number of tickets have been purchased by some agents through various airlines in violation of the standing norms and procedure. “Accordingly searches, as mandated under law, were conducted on 16.01.2021 across the city and important documents pertaining to the case investigation have been seized from various travel agents. Further investigation in the case is being conducted as per procedure,” it added