The Cuttack Police have arrested Arijit Mohanty (25) and Arpit Mohanty (21), two siblings accused of running a job fraud racket that targeted job aspirants in Odisha. The duo allegedly duped several individuals by offering fake job appointments with government medical institutions, including SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, in exchange for hefty sums of money.
The scam came to light after Hiramani Adha, a job seeker from Sundargarh district, filed a complaint with the police on September 27. Hiramani claimed that in June, she had paid Rs11.5 lakh to the Mohanty brothers for a nursing officer position but never received the promised appointment letter nor any refund.
Following the complaint, police initiated an investigation, uncovering a widespread network of fraud. According to police sources, the Mohanty siblings had been operating this scam not just in Cuttack, but across the state, targeting job aspirants seeking positions in prestigious medical institutions. They allegedly provided fake appointment letters for various roles, including attendants, security personnel, and lift operators, charging between Rs30,000 to Rs2 lakh depending on the position.
For more specialized roles like nursing officers, the duo extorted Rs5 to Rs10 lakh from victims. Once full payment was made, the victims were provided with forged appointment letters. However, police confirmed that no such job openings had been advertised by any government institutions, including SCB Medical College and Hospital, and no recruitment process for such roles had taken place.
The police have seized multiple items, including two bags filled with biographical data, Aadhaar cards, Rs10,000 in cash, and several fake appointment letters and stamps. Additionally, a car and a scooter were also confiscated.
Cuttack ACP Girija Shankar Chakraborty confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. “We are looking into the network and any possible involvement of other individuals in this scam. Once we have more details, we will take appropriate action,” he said.
The registrar of SCB Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Abinash Rout, emphasized that the institution was not involved in the scam. “All recruitment at SCB Medical College is outsourced, and we have no direct role in the process. However, we urge job seekers not to fall victim to such scams and report any such cases promptly,” Dr. Rout stated. He also mentioned that a previous fake appointment letter for a clerical position in the Neurosurgery Department had been identified and exposed.
The police are continuing their efforts to investigate the full extent of the fraud and trace other potential victims. Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant against such scams, especially those promising quick government jobs for a price.
