Bengal Government Taking Steps To Recover Money From Cox & Kings: Minister

The West Bengal government is taking steps to recover money from tours and travel services firm Cox & Kings, which has shut its operations after collecting money from people for travel during Durga Puja, minister Sadhan Pande said on Tuesday.

The consumer affairs minister told the Assembly during Question Hour that Bengalis, who love to travel had deposited money with Cox & Kings for vacation abroad, were defrauded as the company closed down and the money was not repaid.

The minister said that he had received several complaints from the affected people and those had also been forwarded to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's office.

He said the company had collected around Rs 40 crore from the people of the state, adding steps are being contemplated by the government, which may even arrest the top executives of the company.

The minister said that each of the affected persons paid Rs 5-6 lakh to the company.

Across India, the company had collected Rs 400 crore, he said, adding that recovery is a hard task as it is private limited entity.

The firm has shut its operations owing to mounting debt and even closed its office in the city, leaving travellers in the lurch ahead of the festive season.

To a separate question, Mr Pande said the consumer affairs department is planning to set up consumer courts in all sub-divisions across the state.