Ranchi: A ₹17 lakh alleged job fraud has come to light in Jharkhand’s Ranchi, where two individuals have been accused of cheating unemployed job seekers by promising outsourced employment in government and private institutions. The accused allegedly collected money from candidates under the pretext of registration and recruitment, before issuing forged appointment letters. The fraud came to light when the candidates reported to the respective departments for joining and discovered that the appointment letters were fake. Based on a complaint, Argora Police Station has registered a case and launched an investigation.
According to police, the complaint was filed by Mamta Kumari, a resident of Harmu, who alleged that she came into contact with Vijay Kumar Sinha through Pintu Sahu in 2024. Sahu allegedly claimed that he and Sinha arranged outsourced recruitments in government and private organisations. Mamta was subsequently called to an office in Ashok Nagar, where she was asked to fill out an application form and undergo what appeared to be a formal interview. A few days later, she was called back and allegedly handed an appointment letter for the post of Office Assistant at Frontline X Service Bureau.
According to the complaint, after receiving the appointment letter, the accused encouraged Mamta to bring other unemployed acquaintances seeking jobs, claiming that several vacancies were available in different departments through outsourcing. Trusting their assurances, she introduced several candidates to the office. Each applicant was required to complete application formalities, appear for an interview, and pay a registration fee of ₹2,500. A few days later, the accused allegedly informed them that all the candidates had been selected.
Police said the accused later instructed Mamta to collect money from all the selected candidates instead of asking them to visit the office individually. Acting on their instructions, she allegedly collected payments through cash and online transactions from multiple applicants and handed over the money to Vijay Kumar Sinha and Pintu Sahu. The complaint states that a total of ₹17 lakh was paid to the accused. Appointment letters were subsequently issued to the candidates, who were instructed to report to the concerned departments for joining.
When the candidates reached the respective offices, they were informed that the appointment letters were forged and that no such recruitment process had been conducted. It was only then that the victims realised they had allegedly been cheated. The complaint further states that when Vijay Kumar Sinha was confronted, he initially returned a portion of the money and allegedly requested the victims not to disclose the matter to anyone.
Mamta Kumari further alleged that when the remaining amount was demanded, the accused abused and threatened her with dire consequences. According to the complaint, they allegedly warned that if the victims continued demanding their money, they would be killed in a staged road accident and the incident would appear to be a natural mishap. She subsequently approached the police seeking legal action against the accused.
The First Information Report also mentions that several other job aspirants were allegedly cheated in a similar manner. According to the complaint, Mamta Kumari allegedly paid ₹2.80 lakh, Manish Kumar ₹2.80 lakh, Manisha Kumari ₹1.60 lakh, while several other candidates also paid varying amounts after being promised employment. All of them were allegedly issued forged appointment letters and assured of jobs in different government departments.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said employment fraudsters frequently exploit forged appointment letters, fake offices, fabricated interviews, and the names of reputed institutions to gain the trust of job seekers. He advised candidates to verify every recruitment notification exclusively through the official website or authorised recruitment channels of the concerned organisation. He also cautioned applicants against transferring money to any private individual in the name of recruitment, registration, or processing fees.
Police are examining bank transactions, online payment records, cash collections, forged appointment letters, the operations of the alleged office, and the role of the accused as part of the investigation. Officials said statements of other victims mentioned in the complaint will also be recorded, and further legal action will be taken based on the evidence collected during the investigation.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
