Pune Municipal Peon Arrested For Fake Job Scam

A peon working at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been arrested for allegedly running a fake recruitment racket. The accused, Shivanand Patil, promised civic jobs using forged appointment letters, fake official stamps, and signatures.

The Shivajinagar Police arrested Patil after the PMC filed an FIR. He has also been suspended pending a departmental inquiry. The police are now searching for three more people who are believed to have been involved in the scam.

The case came to light after one of the victims approached PMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajit Nair with documents, including fake appointment letters and proof of payments made to Patil and his associates. The complainant was initially hesitant to approach the police, but the PMC decided to file a complaint after verifying the evidence.

According to PMC officials, three cases have been identified so far. The victims were allegedly promised jobs as junior engineers in the civic body. One complainant claimed he lost ₹45 lakh, while two others reportedly paid ₹15 lakh and ₹10 lakh.

The first complainant said he met Patil in 2022 through mutual contacts while facing financial problems. Patil allegedly introduced him to two other people and promised him a junior engineer's post in the PMC in exchange for ₹45 lakh. The complainant said he borrowed the money from his father.

To make the offer appear genuine, the accused allegedly handed over an appointment letter, a joining letter, and a transfer order. The complainant also received ₹1.28 lakh as salary for two months and was told it was part of his training period. He later became suspicious after noticing errors in the transfer order and failed to get a proper meeting with senior civic officials.

When the complainant threatened legal action, Patil allegedly issued cheques to return the money. However, the first cheque bounced, prompting the victim to approach the PMC. AAP vice-president and activist Vijay Kumbhar claimed that the scam could be much larger than initially believed.

He alleged that Patil and his associates may have cheated around 300 to 400 job seekers by offering fake jobs in the PMC and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), collecting between ₹30 lakh and ₹45 lakh from each candidate. PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the civic body registered the FIR after conducting a preliminary inquiry.

Officials believe more people may have fallen victim to the racket and have appealed to them to come forward. Police are continuing their investigation to identify other accused and determine the full extent of the alleged fraud.

The scam has significant implications for job seekers in Pune, who are often vulnerable to such fraudulent schemes. The PMC's swift action in filing an FIR and suspending the accused peon is a welcome step in bringing the perpetrators to justice. However, it also highlights the need for greater vigilance and awareness among job seekers to avoid falling prey to such scams.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying the authenticity of job offers and being cautious when dealing with unknown individuals or agencies. As the investigation continues, it is likely that more details will emerge about the extent of the scam and the number of people affected. For now, the arrest of the accused peon and the ongoing investigation are a step in the right direction towards ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.