A 42-year-old man, Mohammed Shafique Mohammed Hanif Khan, has been arrested in Mumbai for allegedly defrauding at least seven individuals of Rs35.90 lakh through false job promises abroad.
Khan ran a job consultancy in Agripada, where he provided fake visas, flight tickets, and appointment letters to aspirants seeking jobs in New Zealand and Azerbaijan. Victims became suspicious after realizing the documents were forged.
According to reports, Khan had earlier duped several job seekers of around Rs80 lakh using similar methods to offer fake employment and visa services for countries like the USA and New Zealand. Most victims hailed from Gujarat.
The arrest followed a complaint filed by Ishwar Prajapati, a commission agent whose clients received counterfeit travel documents. Khan was arrested from his Mira Road residence, while police continue to search for his alleged accomplice, Zarina, who managed another office in the area.
Multiple charges of cheating and forgery have been registered, and the case has now been transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch for a deeper investigation.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, the CBI Mumbai arrested two individuals — Sudhir Palande and Yash Thakur — for their involvement in a cybercrime totaling Rs3.81 crore. Funds were routed through a mule account, allegedly created without proper KYC procedures.
The investigation revealed that cyber fraudsters, bank insiders, and agents were part of a wider conspiracy involving layered money transfers across multiple accounts. Searches by the CBI led to the recovery of incriminating documents and digital devices. The case points to a growing nexus between job fraud, cybercrime, and illegal financial networks.
Both cases underscore the rising threat of employment scams and digital financial crimes in India, prompting further scrutiny by cyber and economic crime units.
