Kolkata: The State Consumer Affairs Minister, Sadhan Pande, on Tuesday, said that his department is taking all possible measures to recover the money, the tours and travel agency, Cox & Kings, had collected from the people. The agency has shut its operations in the state after swindling a huge amount of money from its customers. During question hour session at the Assembly, the minister stated that many people in the state who love travelling had given money to the tour agency and made their bookings for a vacation abroad during the festive season. The money had not been returned to the customers as the private company withdrew their business from the state without any intimation. Many people in the state have therefore become victims of this fraud. The minister also told the House that he had received several complaints from the customers and they were also forwarded to the Chief Ministers Office. He also pointed out that each of the affected persons had paid around Rs 5-6 lakh to the company with the hope that they would be given accommodation and other such facilities in the country they were wanted to go for vacation. He added that the company has collected around Rs 40 crore from the people in the state. He also assured that the state government is exploring all possible avenues to fix the accountability of the top executives of the company. According to the minister the company had collected around Rs 400 crore from people across the country. He further pointed out that the recovery of money is never an easy task as it is a private limited entity. The minister also mentioned that the state government has some limitations in redressing such chicanery, which involves more than Rs 1 crore. The company reportedly shut its business and closed its Kolkata office as it had to repay a large amount of dues. In response to a separate question, the minister told the Assembly that the government is planning to set consumer courts in 10 sub-divisions across the state. Baruipur in South 24-Parganas and Asansol in West Burdwan are among the sub-divisions which are likely to get a separate consumer court.

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