Police in Varanasi have arrested a man for allegedly defrauding an ASHA worker of ₹6 lakh by promising to secure her an appointment as an Assistant Professor at Banaras Hindu University. The arrested individual, Chandramani Sharma, was taken into custody from his office after investigators pursued a formal complaint involving the issuance of a forged employment letter. A co-accused in the case, identified as Vinod Gupta, is currently evading arrest as authorities continue their search.
False Assurances and Issuance of Forged Appointment Letter
The matter came to light following a complaint lodged by Vinita Gupta, an ASHA worker residing in the Bhelupur area of Varanasi. In 2023, her neighbour Vinod Gupta informed her that he could facilitate an employment opportunity at a reputed educational institution. He subsequently escorted her to the office of Malti Finance Solution Limited, situated in the Sonia area under the jurisdiction of the Sigra police station, where she met Chandramani Sharma.
During the meeting, Sharma reportedly reviewed the complainant’s educational qualifications and assured her that he would arrange a faculty position as an Assistant Professor at Banaras Hindu University. In exchange for securing the post, Sharma allegedly demanded an amount of ₹6 lakh. Trusting the representations, the complainant remitted the entire requested sum in multiple installments over a period. Sharma later presented her with an appointment letter bearing the date of October 31, 2023. However, when the woman approached the university administration with the document, officials confirmed that the appointment letter was entirely fraudulent.
Protracted Delays and Legal Intervention
Upon discovering the forgery, the victim contacted both accused individuals to seek clarification and demand the return of her money. Instead of refunding the amount, Sharma and Gupta allegedly offered repeated reassurances and kept delaying the matter for nearly two years. Despite her attempts to register a complaint with the local police, initial administrative action was not taken, prompting her to submit a written complaint directly to the Police Commissioner on June 25, 2026.
With no initial First Information Report registered following the formal petition, the complainant sought relief through the judiciary. Upon examining the plea, the court issued directives instructing the police to register a case and conduct a thorough probe into the allegations. Acting on the judicial order, the Sigra police station formally registered an FIR in July 2026 under relevant legal provisions against both Chandramani Sharma and Vinod Gupta, launching an active investigation into the recruitment fraud.
Custodial Proceedings and Ongoing Probe into Wider Network
Following the registration of the case, law enforcement personnel raided Sharma’s office on Tuesday and placed him under arrest. Police officials stated that the accused admitted to his involvement during custodial interrogation. He has since been forwarded to judicial custody under relevant legal provisions as statutory proceedings continue. Meanwhile, dedicated police teams are actively pursuing leads to trace and apprehend the absconding co-accused, Vinod Gupta.
Investigators are examining payment trails, educational records, the forged appointment letter, and communications between the parties to ascertain the full extent of the fraudulent activity. Police are also inquiring whether other individuals participated in fabricating the university documentation. Furthermore, authorities are investigating whether the accused targeted other job seekers with similar deceptive assurances, seeking to determine if an organized recruitment network was operating across the region.
