Bhubaneswar, July 10: A 69-year-old habitual fraudster, accused of cheating nearly 300 luxury hotels across multiple states by posing as a VIP, has been arrested by Raipur Police from Bhubaneswar. The accused, identified as Bingson John of Tamil Nadu, allegedly used forged identity documents to stay in star hotels for days without paying bills before fleeing with hotel valuables.

According to police, John had recently planned to check into a star hotel under the Maitri Vihar police limits in Bhubaneswar. Acting on technical surveillance, a Raipur Police team intercepted him at Biju Patnaik International Airport and took him into custody.

The arrest stems from a case registered last month after John allegedly stayed at the Hyatt Hotel in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Police said he left the hotel without clearing an outstanding bill of ₹63,755 and allegedly fled with a laptop worth around ₹1.5 lakh before escaping to Odisha.

Investigators said John had perfected a unique modus operandi over the years. Presenting himself as a tourist guide, English teacher or yoga instructor, he would build rapport with hotel staff through his polished English, sophisticated appearance and courteous behaviour. Once he gained their confidence, he allegedly avoided paying advance deposits, enjoyed complimentary accommodation and meals for weeks or even months, and then disappeared without settling the dues.

Police claimed that John had been following the same pattern since the early 1990s and had cheated luxury hotels in at least 10 states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, causing losses worth lakhs of rupees.

Investigators further revealed that John was inspired by notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj and admired his ability to deceive people through charm and manipulation. Unmarried and educated in an English-medium school, John had worked as a tourist guide in Delhi during the 1980s, where he reportedly first developed the habit of staying in hotels without paying.

Police records indicate that John has a long criminal history. He was first lodged in Tihar Jail in 1996 and has spent nearly 15 years in prisons across different states. After every release, investigators said, he would allegedly head straight to a five-star hotel and resume his fraudulent activities.

In 2022, John was arrested by Kollam Railway Police for allegedly cheating a luxury hotel in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Following the complaint lodged by the Hyatt Hotel in Raipur, police tracked his mobile phone and eventually arrested him from Bhubaneswar. Further investigation is underway.