Mumbai duo cheats 50 engineering grads from across India by promising jobs abroad

Various graduates from Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra had approached the placement agency after learning about the job opportunities through newspaper advertisements the duo had placed ..

The Sahar police arrested two persons, who ran a placement agency in Andheri, for cheating around 50 engineering graduates by promising them jobs abroad. The men advertised the agency as ‘Way To Success’ and had been operating it for the last one year from Marol in Andheri (East). The arrested accused were identified as Akram Khan alias Waliullah and Firoz shaikh.

The applicants were asked to deposit Rs75,000 to Rs1 lakh for visa and the processing fees for various jobs opportunities abroad. (File photo)

Various graduates from Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra had approached the placement agency after learning about the job opportunities through newspaper advertisements the duo had placed.

“The placement agency was officially registered in the name of Firoz, but we suspect someone else may have been operating the racket. During interrogation, Khan and Shaikh said that three other persons are also involved in the fraud. Our attempts are on to trace them,” said an investigating officer.

The applicants were asked to deposit Rs75,000 to Rs1 lakh for visa and the processing fees for various jobs opportunities abroad. The medical tests of the candidates were conducted and their passports were taken by the placement agency. The two would then assure the candidates that their passports will be returned with the visa and tickets once the formalities were complete, the officer added.

Later, they would call candidates asking for more money. Whenever an applicants inquired about the progress, they would ask them tobe patient saying that the paperwork was in its final stage. However, Shaikh and Khan started avoiding the applicants’ calls and even failed to show up at the office.Reasling that they have been duped, the applicants approached the Sahar police station and submitted a written complaint.

“Around 30 to 40 candidates have approached us. After verifying the facts, we registered a case of cheating,” said senior inspector B Mukhedkar from Sahar police station.

Shaikh and Khan were produced in the court and were remanded in police custody for one week. Later, they were granted judicial custody, said Mukhedkar.