Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police has unearthed a well-organised syndicate who were trapping unemployed youth on the false promise of securing them jobs against money in Kashmir.
A police official said that the case came to the fore after they investigated a job fraud scam following a complaint lodged by Mohd Maqbool Dar at Police Station Kupwara.
Sources said that Jammu and Kashmir is faced with the highest unemployment rate of 32 per cent among jobseekers in the 15-29 age group. The complainant alleged that Zahoor Ahmad Ganaie, son of Gh Rasool Ganaie, a resident of Dogerpora Kalaroos along with some more persons defrauded unemployed individuals by falsely promising them government jobs in the health department in exchange for money and taking original educational certificates.
Dar, according to the police, paid Rs 15,000 and submitted his wife’s original educational certificates to the accused, who assured him of securing a government job for her.
The police official said Ganaie called the complainant and his wife to the District Hospital Kupwara, claiming that they would receive the engagement order there.
"Upon reaching the hospital, the complainant found that several other individuals had also been lured by similar promises and had handed over money and documents to Zahoor Ahmad,” added the official.
However, the accused claimed that the money had been handed over to three other individuals, including two from Kupwara and Srinagar and an unnamed woman, said the official.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the accused are part of a well-organised syndicate targeting unemployed youth. This fraudulent network not only misappropriated money but also unlawfully retained victims’ official documents,” the official said, adding a case has been filed at Police Station Kupwara.
Police said that efforts are underway to apprehend all individuals involved in the scam. "More arrests are expected as the investigation progresses,” police said and urged people to remain cautious and report any suspicious activities related to job offers or financial transactions to the nearest police station.
