29 July,2025 05:39 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The investigators suspect that there may be many more victims who have not yet come forward. Representational Pic/File
Mumbai Police has busted an inter-state fake overseas job racket and its alleged mastermind was held by the city crime branch, an official said.
According to the police, Mumbai Crime Branch's Unit 2 has arrested a man accused of running a fake overseas job racket. The accused allegedly cheated people by giving them fake visas, air tickets, and job offer letters under the pretext of helping them secure employment abroad.
The police investigations revealed that the suspect operated under a fake company name and targeted individuals from several states including Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, and West Bengal. So far, the total amount of money he is believed to have swindled is around Rs 67 lakh, the officials said.
The officials said that the accused has a criminal background and had been previously booked for similar crimes in the past.
The investigators suspect that there may be many more victims who have not yet come forward.
"A case has been registered against him under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), and 3(5). The police officials are further continuing their investigations," said an official.
As part of the racket, the accused Shafique Khan, 42, a resident Thane district in Maharashtra, had allegedly given the job aspirants fake visas and flight tickets as well as bogus appointment letters, he said.
Initially, the suspect was arrested for allegedly duping seven persons of Rs 35.90 lakh with promises of jobs in New Zealand and Azerbaijan, a Mumbai police official had said on Friday.
"He gave them fake visas and tickets as well as bogus appointment letters. The victims realised they had been cheated after some persons raised suspicions about the authenticity of these documents," the official said.
A case was filed at Agripada police station and Crime Branch Unit 2 started a parallel investigation, he said.
"He was held by the Crime Branch. A probe has found he also cheated at least 17 jobseekers from Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, West Bengal of Rs 67 lakh in a similar manner. Khan has cases against his name in Thane and Karnal in Haryana," the official said.
