Thane: Two friends from Thane, Maharashtra, allegedly lost Rs 7.59 lakh after being duped by an individual who promised to arrange lucrative employment opportunities in Portugal. The accused reportedly collected money from the victims on the pretext of completing recruitment formalities and processing their visas.
According to police officials, the complainant, a 38-year-old resident of Kopri Colony in Thane, was approached by the accused with an offer of overseas employment. The individual also assured the complainant’s friend that he could secure jobs for both of them in Portugal.
Trusting the assurances, the two men allegedly paid a total of Rs 7.59 lakh to the accused between October 20 and October 30. The money was reportedly collected for documentation, visa processing and other formalities associated with securing employment abroad.
However, the promised jobs never materialised. The victims subsequently realised that they had allegedly been cheated and approached the police to report the incident.
Following their complaint, Thane police registered a case against the accused on Friday. The individual has been booked under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with criminal breach of trust and cheating, respectively.
Police officials confirmed that the accused is currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace and apprehend the individual. Further investigation into the alleged fraud is in progress.
The incident highlights the risks associated with fraudulent overseas recruitment offers, where job seekers are allegedly targeted through promises of foreign employment in exchange for advance payments.
