UAE Tour Operator Arrested for Haj Pilgrimage Racket That Scammed 150 Residents
A tour operator reportedly behind a Haj pilgrimage racket has been arrested. Shabin Rasheed, 44, who runs the Sharjah-based Baitul Ateeq travel agency, was taken into custody by the Dubai Police earlier this month, multiple sources confirmed.
The Indian expat is accused of defrauding nearly 150 UAE-based individuals hoping to go on Haj, causing them to lose millions of dirhams.
In June 2023, the distressing situation faced by these people who were left in the lurch as Baitul Ateeq failed to deliver on its promises was reported on by sources. Despite making full payments upfront, none were able to make the holy pilgrimage.
Initially, Rasheed apologised and claimed that a last-minute change in visa issuance caused the issues. He promised refunds and said the funds from reselling accommodations originally booked for the travellers would be returned. However, as time passed with no refunds and reports of similar incidents from previous years emerged, many filed complaints against Rasheed, leading to his arrest.
Clients of Baitul Ateeq who had filed police complaints stated that they received notification of the arrest through a text message sent by the Dubai Police.
Additionally, a Baitul Ateeq representative reached out to individuals awaiting refunds via WhatsApp, confirming the news.
It’s not immediately clear how many police complaints have been filed against the company or how many have been partially refunded.
Earlier, Rasheed claimed to have refunded 20 individuals, but he failed to provide evidence in terms of names and contact numbers despite repeated requests by sources. While Saudi Arabia had barred foreign pilgrims from performing Haj in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those who had paid Baitul Ateeq in 2020 claimed to have received nothing but empty promises.
