Mumbai based businessman arrested over cheating for not paying hotel bills

A Mumbai-based businessman was arrested Saturday for allegedly impersonating an additional chief secretary to Maharashtra Chief Minister and cheating the management of a five-star hotel here of Rs 95,000 by not paying the bills, the police said.

The accused has been identified as Aditya Ashok Jogani (39), a resident of Napean Sea Road, an upmarket neighbourhood of Malabar Hill in south Mumbai.

An FIR was also registered against five friends of Jogani for staying in the hotel as his guests, a Koregaon Park police station official said.

They are yet to be arrested. The incident dates back to January this year when Jogani called up the hotel reception and introduced himself as Praveen Pardeshi, an additional chief secretary to the chief minister, he said.

Jogani allegedly told the hotel management that around six people, including him, would be coming to stay in the hotel.

According to the official, the accused builder and his five friends checked in the hotel and availed "VIP" service before leaving without settling the bill.

"The accused posed himself as Pardeshi and told the hotel reception not to bill the patrons and said the bill would be taken care of," said the officer.

However, as Jogani didn't contact the hotel, its management called up Pardeshi, an IAS officer, in Mumbai. "Pardeshi told them that he never made any calls to the hotel for arranging a stay for some people," the officer said.

Realising that they were cheated, the management of the hotel approached local police and lodged an FIR.

Jogani and others were booked under sections 420 (cheating), 170 (personating a public servant) and section 34 (common intention) of the IPC. The accused has been remanded in police custody till October 10.

(With inputs from agencies.)