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Police in Jharkhand have arrested five persons, including a woman, after uncovering a job racket that allegedly lured unemployed youths with fake work promises to secure their banking credentials for unlawful transactions. The arrests followed simultaneous raids conducted across Chatra, Dhanbad, and Bokaro districts by a special team formed under the instructions of the Chatra Superintendent of Police. Led by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer and supported by officers from Sadar police station, investigators apprehended the suspects and seized cash along with several vehicles and electronic devices. Addressing a press conference at Sadar police station, the SDPO stated that preliminary inquiries revealed the gang specifically targeted job seekers to collect personal banking instruments under the guise of official employment procedures.
Credentials Gathered Under Guise of Employment
The gang approached unemployed individuals with assurances of securing them jobs, convincing the candidates that their financial paperwork was needed to complete mandatory joining formalities. Under this pretext, the accused collected bank passbooks, account numbers, ATM cards, and active SIM cards directly from the applicants. Investigators suspect these bank accounts were subsequently transformed into transit routes to move illicit proceeds generated from cyber fraud and related financial offenses. By exploiting the applicants’ eagerness to find regular work, the accused gained complete control over these accounts, allowing them to route suspicious transactions without immediate detection.
Seizure of Cash and Banking Instruments
During the multi-district raids, police recovered Rs 3.70 lakh in cash from the possession of the accused persons. Officers also impounded a car, a motorcycle, 15 ATM cards issued by various commercial banks, eight mobile phones, and four SIM cards. Technical teams are currently analyzing the seized phones and SIM cards to reconstruct the communication trail among the accused, examine messages sent to job seekers, and trace the digital footprint of suspected fund transfers. Police are also coordinating with the relevant banks to obtain detailed account statements, verify the identities of the original account holders, and establish the total volume of money routed through each channel.
Investigation Expands to Wider Network
Authorities have widened their probe across neighboring districts, suspecting that additional associates may have assisted the gang in sourcing bank accounts, procuring ATM cards, and facilitating illegal money transfers. Investigators are interrogating the five arrested individuals to pinpoint every job applicant whose banking documents were compromised during the operation. Police officials noted that the primary focus remains on determining the full scale of the syndicate, tracing the destinations of the diverted funds, and arresting any remaining collaborators who participated in the operation across Jharkhand.
