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Surat: Ex-CEO dupes airline operator of US $5.25 lakh

SURAT: A former chief executive officer (CEO) of a city-based airline operator has been booked for cheating his employers of Rs 2.33 crore. The accused had collected money from his employers to buy a four-seater aircraft but neither purchased it nor returned the money.


Kartikey Garasiya, former CEO of Ventura Air Connect , was booked for cheating and criminal breach of trust at Umra police station on a complaint by the airline’s adviser Manu Sojitra.



The complainant alleges that Garasiya had assured his employers that he can arrange an aircraft at a cost of Rs3.52 crore. Garasiya, who holds pilot licence from the United States, received US $5.25 lakh in September 2016 for the aircraft from them.

When the employers asked him for an explanation about the delay in delivery of the aircraft, Garasiya claimed that it got damaged in a storm. He assured his employers that he will get the money back through an insurance claim for the aircraft. Upon continuous pressure for money by the employers, Garasiya returned them just Rs1.19 crore.

“We are yet to start our investigation in the matter. The accused, formerly employed with the complainant’s firm, had cheated his employers,” a police officer said. Ventura Air Connect connects Surat with other centres in the state through small aircraft.

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