Durg-Bhilai: A former woman police constable who was dismissed from service has been arrested again in an alleged fraud case. Monika Gupta, also known as Monika Soni, has been accused of taking ₹5.42 lakh from a woman after promising to secure her a laboratory operator’s job.
When the job did not materialise, the woman allegedly sought a refund, but Gupta allegedly continued to delay repayment. Pulgaon police also arrested Israr Khan in connection with the case. Both were produced before a court and subsequently sent to jail.
Kiran Chandrakar, a resident of Chandkhuri village, told police that her husband knew Israr Khan. Israr allegedly claimed to have contacts with senior officials and promised to secure Kiran a job in the Home Guard. He allegedly took ₹6.30 lakh from her for the promised job. He later returned ₹50,000 but failed to arrange the job.
When Kiran demanded the remaining amount, Israr allegedly told her that he would not be able to secure the job. He then introduced her to Monika Gupta, claiming that she had good contacts with officials and could arrange employment for her.
Gupta allegedly assured Kiran that she could secure her a laboratory operator’s position. She also allegedly promised that after the appointment, Kiran could get a transfer to Durg city. Believing these assurances, Kiran paid Gupta ₹5.42 lakh. Of this amount, ₹5.12 lakh was transferred online and ₹30,000 was paid in cash.
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After receiving the money, Gupta allegedly kept postponing the promised appointment. When the job did not materialise, Kiran repeatedly asked for her money back. She alleged that Gupta continued to delay repayment instead of returning the amount. Kiran eventually approached Pulgaon police and lodged a complaint.
Police registered a case and began investigating the allegations and the financial transactions. During the investigation, the police team arrested Gupta. After Israr Khan’s alleged role emerged in the case, he was also arrested. Both accused were produced before the court and sent to jail.
Gupta has previously been involved in several controversies related to her service in the police department. She had served as a police constable and later as a head constable before being dismissed from the department following disciplinary action.
In another case that came to light around seven months ago, Gupta was accused of failing to deposit gold recovered during an investigation into a theft case in the police station property room. The case was linked to a theft reported in Durg’s Scindia Nagar in 2022. Police had recovered around 79 grams, or approximately eight tolas, of gold jewellery and a gold coin from a theft suspect. Gupta was allegedly accused of keeping the recovered gold instead of depositing it in the official property room.
The matter came to light when the victim later reached the police station with a court order to collect the jewellery. She was allegedly informed that the recovered items had not been deposited in the property room. A case was subsequently registered against Gupta under provisions related to concealment of evidence and criminal breach of trust. She remained absconding for some time before being arrested on February 2, 2026. At the time of her arrest, she was around nine months pregnant. She gave birth to a son at a district hospital on February 10, 2026.
A separate case involving alleged fraud in the name of securing employment had also been registered against Gupta. In August 2024, a complaint at Chhawani police station led to a case against her over allegations of taking money by promising a job. Following the cases and departmental action, she was dismissed from police service in 2025.
The latest case has once again brought Gupta under investigation for allegedly using claims of official connections to obtain money in the name of employment. Police are now examining the role of Gupta and Israr Khan and are also checking whether other people may have been similarly approached or defrauded with promises of government or laboratory jobs.
