Srinagar, Jan 16: Crime Branch Kashmir on Saturday carried searches at the premises of several travel agencies in connection with a case registered by it regarding the sale of air tickets on highly exorbitant rates in league with airlines staff.

The case— FIR (03/2020)—was registered by the Crime Branch last year after different travel associations and trade bodies approached it through Director Tourism Kashmir regarding “dry selling or offline selling” of the bulk tickets by air lines staff to the ticketing agents in advance. The case was registered under penal code’s sections 120, 468, 471, 409, 120-B.

The Crime Branch has already summoned representatives of various airlines—Vistara, Go-Air, Indigo, Air India, Air Asia, and Spice jet— and briefed them regarding the case.

“On perusal of the records submitted by the airlines and based on the statements recorded, it has transpired that a huge number of tickets have been purchased by some entities in connection with the staff of the airlines,” the officer said. The raids, sources said, were carried a day after a local court issued search warrants against at least ten travel agencies. (GNS)