A couple is on the run after cheating a 27-year-old job seeker of Rs 3.5 lakh by promising him a job in the Public Works Department (PWD).
The victim, P Pavan Kumar, reported the incident to the Vidhana Soudha police on June 24. The fraudsters have been identified as Joseph Babu and Vasantha.
Kumar said in his complaint that he was introduced to Babu, also known as Purushottam, and Vasantha by a friend in 2021.
Vasantha claimed to be employed in the PWD and offered Kumar a 'D' Group employee position. However, they told Kumar that he needed to pay money to secure the job, as they had to bribe senior officials.
In the hope of becoming a government employee, Kumar agreed to pay the requested amount. The duo met him at various locations, including the PWD office and MS Building, and collected the money from him in cash and via digital payment applications on June 22, 2021.
Kumar even recorded a video of himself handing over the money to the couple. They assured him that he would receive the appointment letter within three to four months. Kumar diligently followed up on the job status and even kept a record of all their phone conversations.
When Kumar failed to receive the promised job by the end of last year, he repeatedly demanded that his money be returned. In response, the couple gave him Rs 20,000 and promised to repay the remaining amount in monthly installments. However, they have since switched off their mobile phones and vacated their residence.
A senior officer said the Vidhana Soudha police have registered a cheating case and are working to nab the culprits.