Mumbai: Police have booked two men for defrauding people of Rs12.09 lakh by promising them jobs in the BMC, officials said on Monday.
The complainant, Nikita Patade, a 47-year-old homemaker from Chincholi, Malad (West), was informed by her acquaintance, Sweety D'cunha, that her uncle, Atul Rathod, had connections in the municipality. Rathod allegedly claimed he could secure a job for Patade's son in the civic body.
D'cunha cited an individual named Kumar Vajhe, who supposedly received a BMC job due to Rathod's influence, and even showed Kumars appointment letter as evidence.
Patade enquired if her son, Atharv, could also obtain a job in the BMC. Sweety assured her that he could, and demanded Rs6.5 lakh. Patade's neighbour, Satish Chinkate also expressed willingness to pay for a job.
Eight days later, Sweety, accompanied by her uncle Rathod, visited Patade's home. Rathod boasted about facilitating numerous BMC jobs and presented an appointment letter purportedly issued to another man. He informed Patade that her son would have to wait three months to start his job but would receive a salary for this duration, after receiving an appointment letter.
Victim Was Provided Appointment Letters Bearing BMC Stamps
In December 2021, Sweety handed over appointment letters to Patade and Satish, each bearing BMC stamps. Subsequently, Chinkate paid Rathod Rs4 lakh in January 2022. He also mortgaged his mother's gold to provide an additional Rs2.5 lakh. By February 2022, Patade had given Rs3 lakh in cash and Rs2,59,400 via Gpay to Rathod. Patade paid a total of Rs5,44,400, while Chinkate paid Rs6.5 lakh.
Rathod asserted that he had handed over the money to one Sachin Kharade, but he never disclosed Kharade's contact details. Upon discovering that Rathod's real name was Ishwar Rude, Patade filed an FIR against both him and Kharade.
