Kalyan (Maharashtra): A retired Army officer and his associate have been booked for allegedly cheating an RTO agent of ₹11 lakh on the pretext of securing a government job for his son in the Income Tax Department. The accused allegedly conducted a fake interview, provided forged documents and later promised a position in the Health Department after failing to deliver the original appointment. A case has been registered at Mahatma Phule Police Station, and an investigation is underway.
According to the complaint, Yusuf Lotan Pinjari, an RTO agent from Ulhasnagar who works near the Kalyan Regional Transport Office (RTO), was looking for a government job for his commerce graduate son. During this period, a relative introduced him to Nashik resident Bharat Ashok Devre, a retired Army officer who was claimed to have helped several candidates secure government jobs.
Investigators said Devre allegedly told Pinjari that recruitment against the 2023 waiting list was underway in the Income Tax Department and assured him that he could arrange his son’s appointment through his influence. He allegedly demanded an advance payment, claiming that the total cost of securing the job would be ₹16 lakh, with an initial payment of ₹5 lakh.
The complaint states that Devre assured the family there was a “99 percent chance” of getting the appointment. Trusting these assurances, Pinjari allegedly paid ₹4 lakh in the first phase. Later, after claiming that the educational documents had been verified and the recruitment process had advanced, the accused allegedly demanded additional money.
Pinjari was subsequently asked to bring the remaining ₹5 lakh to Aurangabad. There, at a hotel, he was introduced to Baban Bhausaheb Gaikwad and another individual who was allegedly presented as an employee of the Income Tax Department. According to the complaint, Pinjari’s son underwent a purported interview at the hotel, submitted his documents and was even given a letter purportedly for a government medical examination. During the meeting, another ₹5 lakh was allegedly handed over to the accused.
Despite these payments, no appointment letter was issued. When Pinjari repeatedly followed up, the accused allegedly claimed that the Income Tax Department recruitment could not be arranged but promised to secure a job in the Nashik Health Department instead. To support the claim, they allegedly sent a waiting list showing the complainant’s son at serial number 65. The complainant has alleged that the waiting list was fabricated and was used only to keep him convinced that the recruitment process was progressing.
After months passed without any appointment in either department, Pinjari suspected he had been cheated and approached the police. Based on his complaint, police registered a case against retired Army officer Bharat Ashok Devre and his associate Baban Bhausaheb Gaikwad under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating.
Police are examining the financial transactions, the authenticity of the documents, the circumstances surrounding the alleged interview and the role of all individuals involved. Investigators are also trying to determine whether the accused used a similar modus operandi to deceive other job seekers. Authorities have advised the public not to pay money to anyone claiming to guarantee government employment and to verify all recruitment-related claims through official government channels before making any payments.
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.
