Mumbai Crime: EOW Arrests Key Accused In ₹2.88-Crore Fake Government Job Scam; Probe Expands Into Wider Recruitment Racket

Mumbai: In a significant development in the ₹2.88-crore fake government job scam, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has arrested Ravindra Gajendra More, one of the accused in the case.

More was apprehended during interrogation at the EOW office and produced before the Esplanade Court, which has remanded him to police custody until November 1.

Victims Duped With False Job Promises

According to the investigation, between February 2023 and September 11, 2024, complainant Santosh Kharpude’s niece, Varsha Kharpude, and several others were allegedly promised government jobs by the accused.

The victims collectively paid ₹2.88 crore—through bank transfers and cash—to the accused, including Nilesh Kashiram Rathod, who posed as an officer with the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

Fake Appointment Letters Issued

In return, the accused issued fake appointment letters for positions in Income Tax, Excise, and other central and state government departments. However, none of the victims ever received the promised jobs, leading to a large-scale fraud case registered by the EOW.

During the probe, the police found that More transferred ₹40.40 lakh from his Bank account to the account of co-accused Nilesh Rathod’s company, Sanchi Production House.

Additionally, More transferred ₹17.40 lakh to the account of Rathod’s wife, Aarti Chavan, and another ₹19 lakh directly to Rathod. The source of these funds is now under investigation.

Cash And Bank Transfers Under Scrutiny

Investigators also uncovered that More allegedly received ₹5 lakh via RTGS from one of the victims, Hanumant Shinde, and ₹4 lakh in cash at The Leela Hotel, promising Shinde’s wife an immediate posting through “lateral entry” into the Income Tax Department.

Dozens Of Job Seekers Cheated

Police say that after collecting money from aspirants, More and Rathod distributed fake government appointment letters, deceiving at least 36 job seekers. The EOW has also seized several forged documents and continues to trace the missing original certificates and financial transactions.

EOW Suspects Larger Network

The investigation suggests that More played a key role in coordinating money transfers, handling fake documents, and misleading candidates. EOW officials suspect he may have helped destroy crucial evidence and could influence witnesses if released prematurely.

Mastermind Earlier Arrested

Earlier, on October 10, the EOW had arrested fake IAS officer Nilesh Rathod (35), a resident of Barshi in Solapur district, for allegedly posing as a Deputy Secretary with the SSC and duping dozens of job seekers with false promises of lucrative government positions.

Probe Expands Into Organised Recruitment Racket

The EOW is now examining whether More and Rathod operated as part of a larger organized network involved in similar recruitment scams across Maharashtra. Police are also tracing other possible accomplices and the remaining defrauded amount.

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An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Information Technology Act, and further investigation is underway.

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