Posted on 11/08/2005 12:04:02 AM PST by NormsRevenge
FAIRFIELD, Calif. (AP) - A City Council candidate, who owned a discount travel agency, was arrested on charges of bilking $50,000 from customers - a day before voters were to decide his political fate.
Iqbal "Paul" Randhawa, 52, was arrested at his Fairfield home Monday, along with his wife, Gurdev "Debbie" Randhawa, and their son Manjinder "Manny" Randhawa. The family operates M&K Travel Services Inc. in San Francisco, Fairfield and San Jose.
Prosecutors said the Randhawas and their employees sold more than $50,000 in airline tickets, mostly for travel to India, that were never delivered between May 2004 and June 2005. The 49 customers were not refunded, or were issued refund checks that bounced, prosecutors said.
The three were charged in San Francisco Superior Court with felony counts of conspiracy, grand theft and violating the state's "seller of travel" law, which places time limits on travel agents for issuing tickets or refunds.
Despite the pre-election setback, Randhawa's campaign manager, Chuck Hammond, said he believed the candidate still could win the council seat.
"These are just words," said Hammond, a former Fairfield mayor. "Until I know they are something other than words, I don't change my mind. He's a good family man, a good businessman."
Randhawa's campaign literature cites his "integrity and leadership," and also touts his background as an experienced administrator who spent 16 years working in the state prison system.
Calls to the company went unanswered Monday.
Newspeak 2005
Arrest = "Pre-election setback"
You are under Arrest = "Just words"
Grand Theft = "A good businessman"
Fraud = "Integrity and leadership"
Imbezzlement = "An experienced administrator"
Breaking up Rocks = "Working in the state prison system"
Looks like he may add a few more to his resume.
No party?
You mean besides all the "Burn, France, Burn!" parties I've been invited to?
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