The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir, has filed a charge-sheet against four accused persons before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Srinagar, in connection with an alleged job fraud racket in which unemployed youth were purportedly cheated of lakhs of rupees on the false promise of securing employment with the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The charge-sheet pertains to FIR No. 36/2018, registered under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), read with Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
According to the EOW, the investigation found that the accused allegedly targeted unemployed job seekers from several districts of the Kashmir Valley by claiming they could secure appointments in the Airports Authority of India. The complainants alleged that they paid substantial amounts of money after being assured government jobs, but neither received employment nor had their money returned.
The four accused named in the charge-sheet are Mohit Sharma alias Bhardwaj, a resident of Noida, Uttar Pradesh; Mukesh Kumar, Mehmood Khan, and Ram Lakhan, all residents of New Delhi. Investigators allege that the accused acted in concert as part of a criminal conspiracy to collect money from job aspirants by offering fraudulent assurances of recruitment in the AAI.
The EOW stated that a detailed investigation was conducted after multiple complaints were received. Investigators examined witness statements, financial transactions, documentary evidence and other material collected during the probe. Based on the evidence gathered, the agency concluded that sufficient grounds existed to prosecute the accused, following which the charge-sheet was filed before the competent court.
With the filing of the charge-sheet, the matter will now proceed through the judicial process. The court will examine the evidence, documents and submissions made by the prosecution before deciding the next course of legal action. The allegations against the accused are yet to be adjudicated, and their guilt or innocence will be determined only after the completion of judicial proceedings.
The Economic Offences Wing has advised members of the public to remain vigilant against individuals or organisations claiming they can secure government or public sector jobs in exchange for money. Authorities urged job seekers to independently verify the authenticity of recruitment offers and avoid making payments to agents or intermediaries promising guaranteed appointments.
The agency also emphasised the importance of promptly reporting cases of economic offences and employment-related fraud, stating that early complaints enable investigators to trace financial transactions, preserve documentary evidence and analyse digital records more effectively. Members of the public have been encouraged to immediately report suspicious activities to the EOW Kashmir. Victims may also submit complaints through the official email channel to facilitate timely investigation.
Experts note that employment fraud targeting unemployed youth has become an increasingly common form of financial crime. They advise candidates to rely only on official recruitment notifications, government websites and authorised selection procedures while avoiding any individual or intermediary demanding money in return for assured government employment. Such demands should be treated as a serious warning sign and reported to law enforcement authorities without delay.
