KOCHI: As job aspirants eagerly await the recruitment examination of the Indian Railways and Railway Protection Force (RPF), it seems fraudsters are also actively tapping into the opportunity. A three-member gang posing as RPF personnel conducted interviews, and certificate verifications of youngsters after promising the job of RPF constable. The sham interviews were held at a hotel near Ernakulam South railway station last week.
Around 20 job aspirants who have applied for the RPF constable recruitment examination were at the hotel to attend the interviews and certificate verification held on July 27. A youth from Thiruvananthapuram, who attended the interview, had paid Rs 75,000 to get the job. “I came to know about the interview through one of my close friends,” he said. “My financial situation is in an awful state and I borrowed money to give it to my friend. The interview was conducted by a woman and around 20 people from various parts of the state attended it.”
He said the scammers directed them to attend the RPF examination that was supposed to be held next month. “They gave us reading materials to prepare for the examination. Then they told us that we just had to attend the examination and the rest of the recruitment procedures would be handled by them. After getting the job, we were supposed to pay `1.5 lakh,” he said.
The incident came to light after the hotel owner approached RPF personnel saying that the rent for the rooms taken for the interview was not paid. Thus, the RPF launched a probe into the incident and passed on the information to the police. Based on records collected from the hotel, the police contacted the interview attendees. “I realised I was cheated after the police and RPF officials contacted me. Soon, I spoke to the friend to whom I had paid money to attend the interview. Knowing my financial condition, he paid me the amount out of his own pocket. He also repaid one of his friends,” the youth told TNIE.
A case has been registered at the Ernakulam Central Police Station. The probe team has identified the gang members who was behind the fake recruitment drive. “The woman was involved in several such cheating cases and was arrested before. She is a native of Kollam and used various fake names to dupe people. This time, she was going by the name Reshma. All the accused persons are absconding. But they will be nabbed soon,” a police officer said.