The Delhi Police have arrested Mahamed Sharif, the 34-year-old man who duped 5-star Leela Palace hotel of Rs 23 lakh while posing as a member of the Royal Family of UAE.
A police official said that the accused was apprehended on January 19 from Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district.
Earlier, the accused had stayed at the hotel in the Sarojini Nagar area from August 1, 2022, till November 20, and fled without settling a bill of Rs 23,46,413, as per hotel staff.
According to an FIR, the man checked into the hotel with a fake business card and posed as an important functionary of the government of UAE office of His Highness Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed AL Nahyan.
"He also gave a resident card of the United Arab Emirates on arrival. It seems the guest purposely gave these cards to create a false image and garner extra trust with an intent to cheat/deceive the hotel at a later stage," stated the FIR.
Based on the complaint, the Delhi Police had registered an FIR on January 13 under sections 419 (Punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating), and 380 (Theft in dwelling house, etc) of the Indian Penal Code.
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