The job racket wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) has arrested a gang of four, including a couple, on the charge of cheating job aspirants. The arrested persons took money from the victims promising to offer jobs in the airport and central establishments.
The police said Harinath Anandan, 26, of Arani, Tiruvannamalai district, lodged a complaint with the city police alleging the gang had received ₹3.88 lakh promising a job in the administrative section of Chennai airport for his sister Parimala and later cheated him by issuing a fake appointment order. The complainant also alleged they had cheated a few other aspirants to the tune of ₹50 lakh.
On the orders of City Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal, the case was taken up for investigation. A special team of police personnel arrested K.Kiran, 41, of Pozhichalur, his wife Shirley Sangeetha, 35, S. Palanivelu, 35, of Kovilambakkam and G.Sangeetha, 36, of Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.
On interrogation, the police found the accused had cheated at least 16 job aspirants to the tune of ₹70 lakh by promising appointments in Chennai airport and other central establishments and they conducted fake interviews and issued fake appointment orders.
The police also seized machinery used for forging appointment orders, computers and printers, fake seals, fake appointment orders and a car.
Mr. Jiwal said the public should not get cheated by fraudsters by giving money to them. Government establishments or private entities do not give jobs on receiving the money from any job aspirant. Job aspirants are advised not to have any transaction with unknown persons offering jobs either through banks or giving cash or any other mode of electronic transfer, said the Commissioner.
Agent held
Meanwhile, the police arrested B. Srinivasan of Lalgudi, Tiruchi district, a manpower agent, on charges of cheating an engineer. The complainant A. Rakesh Dharma, 28 of Golden Colony, Mogappair alleged that two manpower agents including Srinivasan received ₹1.80 lakh for getting an engineering job in a private logistic firm in Malaysia.
They sent him on a tourist visa for 30 days. He was given only a menial job in another firm and on expiry of visa, he was arrested and jailed. Later, he was released on facilitation from the Indian High Commission and he lodged a complaint with the city police.
Mr. Jiwal said it was illegal to go for jobs abroad on tourist visas and those who were leaving for foreign jobs could clarify doubts with the office of Protector of Emigrants.
“Job aspirants are advised not to go abroad relying on the visas given by agents at the airports at the last moment and they can check the authenticity of visa details with the office of Protector of Emigrants, days ahead of the scheduled travel,” he said.
Air tickets and visas given by unregistered agents were obtained through online mode. They could be cancelled at the last moment and the agents might get the money back. So, the job aspirants leaving for abroad should not hand over their passports or give money without verifying the genuineness of air tickets and visas given by the agents, said Mr. Jiwal.
