Country Club leaves scores cheated

Goes back on promises of plots made on membership cards

Hyderabad: It’s a telemarketing gimmick tuned to perfection over the years. Prospective customers believe that they have won a jackpot, but they are tricked into buying membership of a prestigious club, which offers attractive holiday getaways and land in a gated community or at a hill station.

The city-based Country Club is accused of cheating scores of customers of their hard-earned money by making false promises to them. The old club members are also cheated with false claims and the club is extracting huge amount from them. Even government officials, high ranking army officers and professionals have fallen prey to the charms of the club’s executives.

Finally, a victim knocked on the doors of justice in the city. Retired Major General Vinai Singhal from Old Lancers Line, Secunderabad, has filed a complaint with the Consumers Forum. He said the modus operandi of the club was to call any person and claim that he or she had won a prize and invite them to a hotel. “Executives present a rosy picture of the country vacations, convince people to buy membership and rush through the agreement process. Soon the new members realise that they are cheated.”

Saroj Mini Singhal, wife of General Singhal, received a call on September15, 2012, stating that she won a cash prize of Rs 30,000. After the presentation, Saroj paid Rs 1.3 lakh to avail of the membership. The couple later realised that they were cheated after they received the documents from the executives. The offers made during the presentation did not figure in the documents.

“After our complaint to a newspaper came to light, the executives approached us to pay back the amount. I refused to accept their offer and demanded interest on the amount,” says General Singhal. Similar is the case of N K Ganguly, a retired central government officer. He and his wife Jayashree told The Hans India there are more than 50 persons with similar complaints. The senior citizens are interacting with other victims to find a wayout to resolve the issue.

The scam is not restricted to Hyderabad; several persons from Noida, Mumbai, Nagpur and Bangalore are also reportedly cheated in a similar manner. The club also plays another tactic by offering gift vouchers for a holiday package. A newly married couple was presented a holiday voucher a couple of years ago. During their honeymoon in Goa, the executives convinced them to buy the club membership as it offered holiday packages across the country plus a free plot. “We bought two membership cards for Rs 1.5 lakh. They promised a free plot in Bhongir on my wife’s card, while they offered international packages such as Dubai and Singapore on my card. They even promised a plot at Kodaikanal,” says K Shashidhar from RK Purum.

They alleged that the club was violating laws with impunity. It refuses to register plots in the members’ names; instead it promises them gift deeds. The victims are left in the lurch as they suspect that people in high places are protecting the club from law. They hope that the new government would initiate action against the club and do justice to them.