Mumbai: Gang cons people on pretext of providing 'high-profile' BMC jobs

Two persons from a gang of three were nabbed for cheating unemployed individuals on the pretext of getting them ‘high-profile' jobs in the BMC. The Bhoiwada police arrested the duo on Tuesday.

Police identified the accused as Ravindra Pawar and Prakash Gaikwad. The complainant, Umesh Hadigaunkar, told the police, "I met Pawar through a common friend in September 2012. He claimed he would get me a job in the BMC.

Three other unemployed friends and I went to Dahisar, filled up a form and gave him R1 lakh each."

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In December 2012, the victims were called to KEM Hospital for a ‘medical check-up', which never happened. There, they met the third member, Trupti Shingare, who claimed she would ‘manage' to get them in. The applicants later met Pawar in Borivli for a written test, which was again ‘bypassed'. The complainants said they met Gaikwad, who claimed to be a BMC medical officer, in January.

Police said the accused always called the victims to the F/South ward office to gain their confidence. On Tuesday, Pawar and Gaikwad called them there to hand over their ‘ID cards and offer letters'. "When we were stepping out with the documents, the police security officer there, Vilas Surve, told us there was no such opening in the BMC," stated Hadigaunkar. The victims paid a total of R6.4 lakh to the gang.

With Surve's help, the duo was nabbed. DCP Ashok Dhudhe (Zone IV) said, "We have arrested them and are looking for the woman member. We are trying to ascertain if they are bonafide BMC employees."

The accused were booked under sections 465, 420, and 34 of the IPC and remanded in police custody.