In a startling revelation from Jharkhand, authorities have uncovered a large-scale job fraud where at least 150 job aspirants were duped of ₹1 crore by a gang posing as officials of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The accused had set up a fake office in Godda district, luring students and job seekers with promises of lucrative employment opportunities.

Modus Operandi

According to police reports, the gang targeted middle-aged aspirants and students looking for secure jobs in IRCTC. They established a phony office in Rupiyama under Godda Town police station limits, presenting themselves as legitimate recruiters. Promising immediate job placements, the accused extracted money from the victims, with amounts reportedly ranging from several thousand to lakhs per individual.

Acting on a tip-off, local police conducted a raid on Friday and arrested one of the accused, a resident of Maheshpur. Preliminary investigations suggest that some members of the gang hailed from Dumka district. During interrogation, the arrested suspect confessed to orchestrating the scam, and he has been remanded to judicial custody. Searches are ongoing to apprehend the remaining gang members.

FIR and Legal Action

An FIR has been registered at the Godda Town Police Station, with the police taking immediate steps to trace the other accused involved in the racket. Authorities are also working to recover the money collected from the victims and provide assistance to those cheated in the scam.

Broader Context: Rise in Job Scams

This incident is part of a wider trend of job-related frauds across India. In recent months, scams involving fake recruitment drives and false promises of overseas employment have become rampant.

For instance, on Friday, the Anti-Immigration Fraud Unit of Panchkula Police uncovered an inter-state fake work visa racket. The gang had promised individuals opportunities to work abroad, providing bogus flight dates in March and April, which never materialized. In some cases, the victims had been forced to pay additional sums under pressure from intermediaries, highlighting the persistent and evolving nature of such scams.

Victims’ Plight

Job aspirants cheated in the Jharkhand scam expressed shock and distress, as many had invested their life savings hoping for secure employment. Some victims had reportedly traveled long distances to the fake office, only to realize they had been deceived. Police officials have advised victims to cooperate with the investigation, share all evidence including receipts and communications with the accused, and remain vigilant against similar fraud attempts in the future.

Warning and Precautions

Authorities have urged the public to verify recruitment notifications directly with official websites and government portals before making any payments. They emphasized that no genuine government job requires upfront payments, and any such requests should be treated with suspicion.

The Godda police and other state enforcement agencies are actively working to crack down on recruitment frauds, tracing all gang members involved, and seeking to ensure justice for the victims. This case serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance among job seekers, particularly in regions with limited awareness about fraud mechanisms.

With the arrested accused already in judicial custody, the police are hopeful that further investigation will lead to the arrest of remaining conspirators and the recovery of the defrauded funds, providing some relief to the victims of this massive ₹1 crore scam.