Three individuals were arrested by Junagadh City C Division police for allegedly cheating people by promising them government jobs in the state forest department. The accused, identified as Babu Patel and Vinod alias Vinay Gadhvi from Gandhinagar, and Deepak Sen from Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh, were apprehended following a complaint filed by Kalu Solanki, a 55-year-old farmer.
According to the complaint, the suspects posed as recruitment agents for the Forest Department and promised Range Forest Officer (RFO) positions to Kalu Solanki’s son, Jitu Solanki, and two other youths. They demanded a total of Rs 75 lakh from the victims — Rs 25 lakh per person. The suspects collected Rs 4.5 lakh from the complainant alone through fraudulent emails and promises.
The scam came to light when Jitu Solanki was approached by Babu Patel, who claimed to have connections within the government. The accused sent fraudulent interview schedules via email, targeting Jitu and the other victims. Upon their visit to Junagadh on January 5, the accused presented a fake job order for another victim, Nikunj, to gain trust. This convinced Kalu Solanki to pay Rs 5 lakh to the suspects.
On January 10, Deepak Sen, a Hindi-speaking individual, conducted the fake interviews at the forest department office. Upon questioning, Sen admitted he was not affiliated with the government and confessed that the money was sent to Ashish Sau, the kingpin of the operation, in Mumbai.
Following the arrest of Sen, Babu Patel, and Vinod Gadhvi, police secured their remand until January 16. The investigation, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Hitesh Dhandhliya, also uncovered seized items, including cash, mobile phones, a car, and documents linking the suspects to the crime. The investigation revealed that Ashish Sau was the mastermind, using fake interview letters and government department email IDs.
In a related case, the suspects had previously collected Rs 14 lakh from another victim, Nikunj, for a fraudulent post office position. The investigation into that case is ongoing. Authorities are working to capture Ashish Sau, who remains at large.
Image: An image could depict fraudulent job offer letters, fake documents, or an arrest scene of the suspects, illustrating the seriousness of the scam.
