Shimla – In a significant breakthrough, the Himachal Pradesh Police have apprehended five more individuals in connection with a fraudulent scheme involving the issuance of fake appointment letters for government jobs within the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat. The ongoing investigation has unveiled a disturbing pattern of deceit, with the accused exploiting 25 unsuspecting individuals and illicitly amassing lakhs of rupees under the guise of offering employment opportunities.
The initial arrest in the case was made on Tuesday when a resident of Kotkhai in Shimla, was taken into custody. Subsequent operations late Wednesday night led to the apprehension of three individuals from Solan, one from Joginder Nagar and another from Junga in Shimla.
Shimla Police searched for the accused’s rented accommodation at Vikas Nagar, seizing evidence, including six fake appointment letters, a printer, laptop, mobile phone, envelopes, a diary, and various other documents. The accused was presented in court on Wednesday, and the police secured his remand for further investigation. The police team is now intensifying efforts, suspecting the involvement of a larger criminal network in the elaborate scam.
Also Read: Fake Appointment Letter Scam Unearthed in Himachal Pradesh Secretariat Shimla
Preliminary findings suggest that the accused duped over 20 unemployed youth by promising them government jobs. Many victims received fraudulent appointment letters, ostensibly offering jobs starting in February and March.
The scam came to light on February 19 when two youths from Palampur in Kangra district, reached state Secretariate, both carrying appointment letters for positions as peon and clerk, respectively, presented themselves at the Special Administration Department of the Secretariat. To their dismay, the documents were quickly identified as counterfeit. Following a complaint filed by the Secretariat Deputy Secretary, both victims were interrogated, revealing that Kotkhai youth had extracted sums ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 from each victim in exchange for the bogus appointment letters.
The Chhota Shimla police station initiated an immediate investigation, leading to an accused arrest. Subsequent interrogations and a raid on the accused’s room yielded additional evidence, further solidifying the case against the accused. The police are currently gathering more information to unravel the extent of the scam.
DSP Amit Thakur stated, “Every aspect of the case is being investigated in detail,” emphasizing the commitment of law enforcement to bring the entire network of perpetrators to justice.
