The Crime Branch police have filed a case against the husband of a Police Inspector (PI) and his two associates for allegedly cheating, forgery, and duping numerous youths seeking overseas employment. The accused—Ajay Shirodkar, Sanket Shirodkar, and Avesh Kakodkar—are charged with various offences, including cheating, forgery, human trafficking, criminal conspiracy, and criminal intimidation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Although the accused are currently on the run, they remain under surveillance, according to a police officer.
The complaint was lodged by Nitesh Naik, a resident of Nuvem, who paid Ajay Shirodkar a total of Rs 28 lakh in 2024, believing he would secure a high-paying job in the USA. Ajay allegedly assured Naik that all travel and immigration procedures would be legal and smooth, claiming he had previously helped many Goan job seekers successfully go abroad. However, Naik claims Ajay provided him with forged documents and arranged for him to travel illegally through multiple countries.
Naik’s journey began when he was sent to Amsterdam, where he was left stranded with inadequate food and water. Afterward, he was sent to the Republic of Dominica via Sint Maarten and Port of Spain, but was denied boarding due to the forged documents. Ajay arranged for Naik to return to Mumbai, where he was promised another route to the USA. However, the fraud continued, with Naik being sent to various countries, including Qatar, São Paulo, and El Salvador, but he was denied entry each time due to the forged documentation.
Naik’s ordeal continued, as he was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while attempting to cross the USA-Mexico border. He was jailed for four months in the United States before being deported back to India in April 2025. His wife also suffered a miscarriage during his absence, adding to the tragedy of his experience.
The case has drawn the attention of other victims, who also claim they were duped by Ajay Shirodkar. These victims, along with former Margao councillor Pratima Coutinho, met with South SP Tikam Singh, demanding the immediate arrest of Shirodkar. The youth have also approached Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who has directed the police to expedite the arrest of the accused.
The case is under investigation by PI Prashal Desai, supervised by SP Rajesh Kumar. Another complaint has been filed by Vishwesh Gawas and nine others, alleging they were similarly cheated by the accused, prompting further investigations into the job scam.
