The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police in Bengaluru have taken decisive action by registering a formal case against a woman and her associates for orchestrating a massive job fraud. The accused allegedly swindled a staggering sum of Rs 5.3 crore from numerous aspirants by falsely promising them employment in various government departments.
The Mastermind and the Modus Operandi
The primary accused has been identified as Shamshad Begum, who presented herself as the general secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Mahila Morcha. The complaint was filed by Sangamesh Rachaiah, a resident of Vijayapura district, who detailed a sophisticated scheme of deception.
According to the complaint, Begum, along with her father M.M. Mansoor Ahmed—whom she introduced as a joint secretary of KPCC—met Sangamesh at a hotel in Bengaluru. To build credibility, they flaunted their political connections, showing photographs with ministers and politicians, and displayed fake identity cards. They promised Group D posts in different government departments in exchange for money.
The network extended further as Sangamesh was introduced to individuals named Ramesh, who claimed to be a health department officer, and Sharath at the Karnataka Examinations Authority office. The entire group worked in concert to convince victims of their legitimacy and influence.
Scale of the Financial Deception
The fraud unfolded on multiple fronts with shocking sums of money involved. Sangamesh, who became an intermediary, introduced 14 candidates to Begum and Mansoor. The accused collected Rs 56 lakh in cash from these individuals, promising jobs in the irrigation, health, and social welfare departments. They even issued fake admit cards and concocted a story about a special examination after the regular one.
Exploiting her claimed influence in the railways, Begum separately collected approximately Rs 1.6 crore from seven candidates for appointments as ticket collectors and commercial clerks. The candidates received fake appointment letters via email and were told about a three-month training near Kolkata, followed by another three months near Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.
The accused's audacity continued. On October 23, 2023, she collected Rs 30 lakh in cash from a friend of Sangamesh, promising a job as a tax assistant in the income-tax department. Another Rs 20 lakh was collected online from two candidates for Group D posts in the water resources department, complete with counterfeit appointment letters.
In a further revelation, Sangamesh accused Begum of cheating nine more candidates of Rs 30.5 lakh by offering jobs in the central government's survey service department and the railways. Even Sangamesh himself was not spared, losing Rs 5 lakh after receiving a fake ID card showing a fictitious appointment as an airport member and adviser.
The complaint also highlights an alleged cheating of Jamkhandi RTO inspector Shanmukhappa Tirtha to the tune of Rs 68 lakh (Rs 25 lakh in cash and Rs 43 lakh via multiple transactions). This inspector was previously raided by the Lokayukta.
Legal Repercussions and Case Registration
After realizing the extent of the fraud, Sangamesh approached the deputy commissioner of police at CCB on December 18 and filed a formal complaint. Based on his detailed allegations, the CCB police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The charges include serious offences such as cheating, criminal breach of trust, and forgery of documents. The investigation is now underway to unravel the full network of this elaborate scam and bring all involved to justice.
