Man wanted in several cases of fake job offers arrested

Police officials said that the accused, Sandeep Anand Raut, is a history sheeter with at least 18 cases registered against him across the state

Mumbai A 37-year-old man from Satara district has been arrested on Monday for duping several people in Mumbai on the pretext of offering them jobs in the excise department, Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Raut’s would first gain the trust of needy young job-seekers by giving them forged appointment letters, medical certificates, identity cards issued by the establishments and then take more money from them (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Police officials said that the accused, Sandeep Anand Raut, is a history sheeter with at least 18 cases registered against him across the state.

Raut’s would first gain the trust of needy young job-seekers by giving them forged appointment letters, medical certificates, identity cards issued by the establishments and then take more money from them.

“When we searched his room at a guest house in Grant Road, we seized 12 fake identity cards, five fake appointment letters, three fake medical fitness letters, rubber stamps, two mobile handsets and ₹7,000 cash,” said senior inspector Vilas Bhosle.

The complainant in the case is one Nitin Kadam, 37, a driver by profession who lives in Dahisar along with his wife and son. He came in contact with Raut in May through a common acquaintance. Raut informed him that there was a vacancy for the driver’s post in MSEB and he could help him get the job. He took ₹50,000 from the victim and then stopped answering his phone calls, said Bhosle.

Kadam realised that he was defrauded and on June 22 approached the crime branch unit at Dahisar. During investigation, it was found that the accused had taken money from several people using similar modus operandus. “As of now, we have recorded statements of five people and it appears that 35 people - mostly from Thane, were duped by him,” added Bhosle.

Assistant police inspector Vijay Raskar and other staff members were looking for the accused when they got information that he was staying in a guest house at Grant Road. The police then visited the lodge and after verification, nabbed him on Monday evening.

During investigation, police found that apart from cases in Mumbai, the accused had 18 previous offences of similar nature registered against him in Buldhana, Jalna, Aurangabad, Solapur, Satara and Ratnagiri districts. In Mumbai, Raut is wanted in cases registered by Dadar, Shivaji Park and Aarey police station, said crime branch official.