A shocking case involving an alleged government job scam, kidnapping and forced online money transfers has surfaced in Punjab’s Zirakpur. A transporter from Haryana has accused three men of first cheating him of ₹6 lakh on the promise of securing a government job and later kidnapping him and forcing him to transfer ₹18 lakh from his bank accounts. Acting on the complaint, police have registered a case against one named accused and two unidentified accomplices under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Raids are underway to apprehend the suspects.
According to the complaint, Rahul Soni (32), a transporter from Bhiwani in Haryana, alleged that around one-and-a-half years ago Bhawani Singh took ₹6 lakh from him after promising to arrange a government job. Rahul claimed that despite repeated follow-ups, neither was the promised job arranged nor was the money returned. He alleged that the accused continued delaying the repayment by making various excuses.
Rahul told police that on July 1, Bhawani Singh called him to Zirakpur, claiming that he was ready to return the entire amount. Trusting the assurance, Rahul travelled to Zirakpur, where he was allegedly taken to a house in Preet Colony. According to the complaint, Bhawani Singh and two other men overpowered him, tied him up and confined him inside a room.
The complainant alleged that he was physically assaulted and threatened before being forced to transfer money from his bank accounts. According to the complaint, ₹5 lakh was transferred from his two bank accounts to Bhawani Singh’s account, while another ₹13 lakh was transferred to different bank accounts. In total, the accused allegedly forced him to transfer ₹18 lakh. Rahul further alleged that the accused also snatched his mobile phones to prevent him from contacting anyone or seeking help.
Rahul stated that he eventually managed to escape from captivity when he found an opportunity. After escaping, he was taken to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH-32) for medical treatment. Following his discharge from the hospital, he approached the Zirakpur Police and lodged a formal complaint detailing the entire sequence of events.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case against Bhawani Singh and his two unidentified associates under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators are examining the crime scene, bank transaction records, mobile phone data, CCTV footage and other digital evidence to verify the allegations and trace the movement of the allegedly transferred funds.
According to investigating officials, raids are being conducted at multiple locations to arrest the accused. Police are also trying to identify the bank accounts that received the transferred money and determine whether any other individuals or an organised criminal network were involved in the alleged offences. Officials said further legal action will be taken based on the evidence collected during the investigation. The case remains under investigation, and efforts to trace and apprehend the accused are continuing.
