The accused persons held by the Gachibowli police in Hyderabad on Saturday.
Fifteen organisers and holiday consultants associated with a holiday membership fraud operated under the name The Pacific Holiday World have been arrested by the Gachibowli police for luring customers to purchase holiday packages through false promises and deceptive marketing practices.
According to the police, the company, registered as 4R Seasons Holidays Private Limited with its registered office at Kalkaji in New Delhi, was operating promotional campaigns in Hyderabad by targeting visitors at shopping malls and commercial establishments. The company’s directors were identified as Rajesh Kumar, Mohd. Reehan Akhtar, Abdul Rashid and Ram Singh Dhami.
Investigators said the company deployed marketing executives to distribute free gift coupons at prominent malls and commercial establishments while collecting visitors’ mobile phone numbers. The customers were informed that they had been selected for attractive holiday benefits and were later invited over phone to promotional meetings held at star hotels, including the Radisson Hotel in Gachibowli.
During these presentations, company representatives persuaded customers to purchase holiday memberships by promising luxury holiday packages. Police said customers were offered a five-year membership costing ₹1.25 lakh, which included seven nights of accommodation every year at five-star destinations across India, while a 10-year membership promised seven nights of accommodation annually at destinations in India as well as selected international five-star locations.
Customers were pressured into making immediate payments through limited-period discounts, complimentary gifts and assurances of luxurious holiday stays. However, several customers reportedly did not receive the promised services, leading to allegations of cheating.
The case came to light after Vutturi Swaraj lodged a complaint on Friday (July 24), alleging that representatives of The Pacific Holiday World had induced him to purchase a holiday membership during a promotional event at the Radisson Hotel, Gachibowli. Believing the assurances, he paid ₹3.40 lakh through his HDFC Bank credit card on July 16. After receiving the payment, the company failed to provide the promised membership benefits and stopped responding to his calls and messages.
Acting on the complaint, Gachibowli police conducted verification at the Radisson Hotel, where the company was holding promotional meetings with prospective customers. Based on the complaint and available evidence, all 15 organisers and holiday consultants associated with the company were apprehended for further investigation.
Those apprehended were identified as Mohammed Aqif, Shivam Sharma, Shanu Kumar, Santosh Kumar, Piyush, Jay Singal, Aparna Chouhan, Shubham Shukla, Mohit Chauhan, Himanshi Nigam, Anak Agarwal, Ayush Bajpai, Amit, Pranav Pandey and Prashant Kumar Karan, all hailing from different States across India.
During the preliminary enquiry, police found that the accused were employed as holiday consultants or sales executives with The Pacific Holiday World and had been conducting promotional events at the Radisson Hotel. According to investigators, the accused voluntarily admitted their involvement during the enquiry.
Police said the investigation has so far identified 19 victims who were collectively cheated of around ₹22 lakh. Efforts are underway to identify additional victims who may have been similarly defrauded.
Published – July 25, 2026 06:37 pm IST
