Fraudulent Job Scheme in Mumbai Costs Families ₹68.5 Lakh

Fraudulent Scheme Uncovered in Mumbai

Mumbai, July 31: A total of seven families have fallen victim to a scam, losing ₹68.5 lakh under the false pretense of securing government jobs for their children. The accused claimed to have connections within the Maharashtra Mantralaya (State Secretariat). The Azad Maidan Police have initiated a fraud investigation and are actively searching for the suspects.

According to officials from the Mumbai Police, a significant fraud scheme has been uncovered, involving the collection of large sums from various families with the promise of government employment. Following complaints from the victims, the Azad Maidan Police have filed charges against two individuals for cheating and criminal breach of trust.

Among the victims is a retired Sister-in-Charge from GT Hospital. The accused managed to defraud these families of ₹68.5 lakh over several years by assuring them of government job placements.

Investigators have traced the origins of the scam back to 2014. One complainant, while seeking job opportunities for her son, was approached by Suryakant Nivrutti Magre, a neighbor and colleague from GT Hospital. Magre allegedly claimed that his relative, Yogesh Jagannath Patankar, had significant influence at the Mantralaya and could facilitate government job placements.

The accused promised to secure a Senior Clerk position for the complainant’s son in exchange for ₹5 lakh. Trusting Magre due to their personal and professional relationship, the complainant paid the amount in installments from April to December 2014, even mortgaging her jewelry to gather the funds.

After receiving the payment, the accused reportedly kept postponing the job appointment process. On December 10, 2019, the complainant’s son was directed to a Primary Health Centre in Khalapur for a supposed mandatory medical examination. Upon arrival, the family discovered that numerous other candidates and their parents were also present for similar tests.

However, no appointment letters were ever issued. The accused continued to provide excuses, citing administrative delays and later the COVID-19 pandemic. As time went on without any progress, the victims began to realize they had been deceived.

Further inquiries revealed that six additional families had also been duped by the same scheme, leading to a cumulative loss of ₹68.5 lakh. The Azad Maidan Police have documented statements from the victims and are intensifying their efforts to locate and apprehend the suspects.