Bhubaneswar. The Economic Offences Wing of the Odisha Crime Branch has arrested an Andhra Pradesh native in connection with an online recruitment fraud that allegedly cheated unemployed youths of more than ₹1 crore through fake job advertisements and a fraudulent website. Investigators said the scam targeted aspirants seeking non-teaching jobs in aided schools across Odisha and several other states.
Fake Portal Made to Resemble Government Website
The arrested accused has been identified as Kalluri Tirupathi, a resident of Andhra Pradesh. Officials said he was apprehended on Thursday and brought to Odisha on transit remand.
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According to investigators, the accused and his associates allegedly created a fake recruitment portal designed to appear like an official government website. The website used official-looking layouts, recruitment language and government-style notifications to convince applicants that the process was genuine.
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The EOW registered a case in 2024 after preliminary findings indicated that fake recruitment advertisements had been published twice in regional newspapers in December 2023. The advertisements invited applications for various non-teaching posts in aided schools across Odisha.
Applicants were directed to the online portal and asked to pay application fees of around ₹1,000 each. Investigators said the relatively small amount, combined with the appearance of a genuine recruitment process, led many job seekers to complete the registration without suspicion.
Multi-State Cyber Fraud Network Under Probe
Officials estimate that the network collected more than ₹1 crore from hundreds of unemployed youths. Investigators said the scam was not limited to Odisha, as applicants from Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were also allegedly deceived.
Authorities are now examining digital payment trails, bank accounts, technical infrastructure and possible associates linked to the racket. Investigators are also checking whether similar fake recruitment portals were created in other states using the same network.
Officials have advised job seekers to verify recruitment notifications only through official government websites before submitting applications or making payments online. The investigation remains underway.
