The police in India are currently investigating a suspected fraudster who managed to occupy a room at a five-star hotel in New Delhi for nearly two years without making any payments.
According to local media reports on Thursday (22), Ankush Dutta allegedly bribed hotel staff members to manipulate records, allowing him to remain at the Roseate House Hotel from May 30, 2019, well beyond his initial checkout date of the following day.
Remarkably, he extended his stay for a staggering 603 nights before finally leaving on January 22, 2021. Consequently, Dutta left behind unpaid bills totalling $70,000.
"Accounts were falsified to conceal the actual outstanding dues," the police complaint read, quoted by the Indian Express newspaper.
Hotel managers also filed a police complaint against several employees for conspiracy, forgery and cheating, with officials saying they suspected staff members were bribed to manipulate in-house software systems.
Roseate House officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
(AFP)
With Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi
Meeting consular staff at the British High Commission in Islamabad last Friday (16)