The Commissionerate Police on Monday arrested three individuals for running a fake overseas job racket, duping multiple young job seekers with promises of employment abroad.
The accused have been identified as:
Babulahari Gouda, a native of Khandara village in Ganjam district, currently residing in Mumbai
Mahesh Ramchandra Lokhande
Kiran Shashikant Ghumre, both from Rayagada district and also based in Mumbai
According to police reports, the trio was conducting fraudulent job interviews at a hotel under Kharvelnagar Police Station in Bhubaneswar. They had been attracting aspirants through social media advertisements, claiming to offer legitimate overseas job placements.
The scam was exposed after Sunil Kumar Saha, the Protector of Emigrants in Bhubaneswar, alerted authorities. Police quickly conducted a raid at the hotel and discovered that the suspects were conducting fake interviews and preparing to collect money from candidates.
As per Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena, the gang’s modus operandi involved initially collecting ₹5,000 from each candidate as a processing fee, followed by a demand of Rs70,000 after issuing fake offer letters for foreign jobs.
Thanks to the timely intervention by law enforcement, a major scam was foiled, potentially saving many from financial and emotional distress.
During the raid, police seized several resumes, forged documents, and four mobile phones from the accused. All three were arrested and produced in court on the same day.
Authorities urge the public to be cautious when dealing with overseas job offers and to verify the legitimacy of recruiting agencies through official channels.
