Delhi Court Grants Bail To Accused Leela Hotel Swindler Who Posed As UAE Royal Family Staff

A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to Mahamed Sharif, the man accused of posing as an employee of the Abu Dhabi royal family and staying at Delhi’s Leela Hotel for more than three months without paying the bills.

Sharif was granted bail after the court was informed that he had already paid the outstanding bill and that the complainant (the hotel manager) had no objections to his release on bail.

Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala of the Patiala House Court noted that no custodial interrogation is required by the investigating agency and that Sharif has been in custody since January 19.

The Court stated, “He is not required for any investigation purposes, so there is no useful purpose is going to be served by keeping the accused further in Judicial Custody.”

As a result, he was released on bail after furnishing a bond of ₹50,000 and a surety of the same amount.

On January 19, the Delhi Police arrested 41-year-old Sharif, of Karnataka, on allegations that he stayed at the five-star hotel from August 1, 2022 to November 20, 2022 and left without paying the bill.

According to the police, Sharif stole silverware and other items from the hotel and owed nearly ₹24 lakhs.

According to reports, the accused checked into the hotel with a fake business card and introduced himself as a UAE government official.

After the hotel staff filed a complaint, an FIR was filed against Sharif at Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar Police station. He was charged under IPC Sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), and 380 (theft in dwelling house).