Prominent Mississippi businessman, hotelier charged with stealing luggage from airport baggage claim

Published 1:54 pm Monday, August 26, 2019

A Mississippi businessman and hotelier was arrested last week and charged with stealing luggage from a Memphis, Tennessee, airport.

Dinesh Chawla, was arrested Thursday, WREG-TV reported, after he returned to the airport.

Chawla was reportedly seen on Aug. 18 at the airport picking up luggage off the baggage claim conveyor at Memphis International Airport. He reportedly then put the bag into his vehicle and went back inside the airport to catch a departing flight.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

While Chawla was gone, police towed his car and reportedly found several stolen bags containing several thousands of dollars worth of goods.

When Chawla returned Thursday night, he was arrested. WREG reported that he allegedly confessed to police.

Chawla is CEO of his family’s business, Chawla Hotels, based in Greenwood, Mississippi. The company owns 17 hotels across Mississippi.

Chawla was charged with two counts of theft of property and was released on a $5,000 bond.

The family rose to prominence in 2017 when a partnership between the company and Trump Hotels was announced. The two organizations planned to bring four new hotels to the Mississippi Delta. Earlier this year the Trump company scrapped the plans.