Bengaluru News: Six people have been arrested for allegedly running a large-scale job fraud that cheated hundreds of aspirants out of lakhs of rupees by falsely promising them employment in district courts across the state, police said on Tuesday. At the centre of the racket are Jason D’souza (39) and his wife Lavina (36), who are believed to be the key architects of the scheme. The couple, along with four others, allegedly targeted people desperate for government jobs, dangling the prospect of secure court postings in exchange for money.
The accused reportedly promised victims placements in various roles within district courts, including Process Server, Peon, Second Division Assistant (SDA), First Division Assistant (FDA), and driver. These are entry to mid-level positions in the court system that many candidates aspire to, making them easy bait for such a fraud.
Hundreds of job seekers are believed to have fallen prey to the racket, parting with significant sums of money in the hope of securing a stable government job. The total amount swindled is still being calculated, but police have already recovered Rs 38 lakh in cash from the accused, offering a glimpse into the scale of the operation.
Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to establish the full extent of the fraud and identify all those who may have been duped.
The accused duo, along with others, allegedly lured over 450 job aspirants by claiming vacancies in district courts and appointing agents to approach candidates. According to police, through these agents, they collected lakhs of rupees from the aspirants in phases, mostly in cash and partly through online transactions.
Operating from offices in Sahakar Nagar here in Bengaluru, eight individuals and others allegedly filled out application forms for various court posts, collected documents from candidates, and obtained their signatures.
They also collected candidates’ mobile numbers, left thumb impressions and signatures on a format termed as “Green Sheet”, a senior police officer said.
Subsequently, the accused allegedly issued fake court order copies to candidates, falsely indicating their selection for posts in various district courts. They further provided forged selection lists bearing fake signatures and seals of courts, thereby cheating more than 450 candidates, he said.
Two separate cases have been registered in this regard at the Central Crime Branch (CCB) Police Station and Kodigehalli Police Station, police said.
“During the investigation, police pursued multiple angles and secured six accused persons involved in the case. On interrogation, they confessed to committing the offence along with other associates with the intention of making unlawful financial gains. A total of Rs 38 lakh in cash has been seized from their possession,” the officer said.
Other associates involved in the case are absconding, and efforts are on to trace them, police said, adding that further investigation is in progress.
