Fake NGO gives fake job letter to 150 people, dupe them of Rs 1 crore

Lucknow: A job fraud involving nearly Rs 1 crore has come to light in Lucknow, where around 150 people from Gorakhpur, Deoria and Maharajganj were allegedly duped on the pretext of employment under a fake NGO.

According to police, the victims have lodged an FIR at Vikasnagar Police Station against three accused, who allegedly floated fake organisations — Break Foundation and Jeevan Path Foundation — and claimed to have secured a tuberculosis awareness campaign project from the health department. Complainant Chandramani Tiwari, a resident of Maharajganj, said he was contacted by one Parasnath Kharwar, who lured him with job offers carrying salaries ranging from Rs 31,500 to Rs 90,000 per month. Applicants were asked to deposit Rs 90,000 to Rs 1.10 lakh as a registration fee for recruitment.

Victims were called to an office in Vikasnagar, where they met another accused identified as Shipin. They were pressured to deposit money quickly and were told to form field teams to work on a tuberculosis awareness drive. Many victims paid the demanded amounts.

The accused even conducted a training session at a hotel in Mahanagar and issued fake appointment letters to the candidates. However, when the recruits began fieldwork, health department officials questioned them, revealing that no such project existed.

Realising the fraud, victims tried contacting the accused, but their phones were switched off and the office was found locked.

Among the complainants are Garima Pathak and Musheer Ahmad from Gorakhpur and Manisha Patel from Maharajganj.

Among the complainants are Garima Pathak and Musheer Ahmad from Gorakhpur, and Manisha Patel from Maharajganj.