Odisha EOW Busts Fake Govt Job Racket in Bhubaneswar, 3 Arrested

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) on Wednesday announced a major breakthrough, arresting three individuals in Bhubaneswar in connection with a widespread inter-State job scam. Identified as Mohammad Sanaullah, Sakshi Jain, and Surat Dalai, they operated within a pan-India fake job racket spanning Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, impacting at least six states.

The scammers utilized multiple mule bank accounts to collect fees discreetly, employing fake SIMs and YouTube Channels to target aspiring youths seeking government jobs. The accused, recently residing in an AIR BnB in Odisha, were arrested following an EOW investigation triggered by suspicious advertisements in the local daily Sambad on December 18 and December 22, allegedly published by the “Aided Schools Welfare Society.”

During the raid, significant evidence was seized, including a laptop, eight mobile phones, pen drives, ATM cards, and ₹1 lakh in cash. The fraudulent organization, “Aided Schools Welfare Society,” mimicked a government website (www.modelschools.ac) and misleadingly advertised non-teaching positions in Odisha, offering salaries ranging from ₹28,000 to ₹40,000 per month. The elaborate scheme involved an application fee of ₹1,000 per post per candidate, with plans to introduce additional fees before closing the website.

Transactions exceeding ₹1.7 Crore were traced in various bank accounts, primarily withdrawn in cash to avoid financial traces. The EOW is actively coordinating with law enforcement agencies in other states to address the multi-dimensional aspects of this elaborate scam.