'Mastermind' of BMC fake job scam held

Thane crime branch has arrested the alleged mastermind of the BMC fake job recruitment scam in which 36 persons were duped of Rs 54 lakh by a gang, taking the total number of persons in custody to five, police said Tuesday.

The alleged mastermind of the fraud is 22-year-old Datta Prasad alias Tushar Dhuri, said a senior officer of the crime branch.

Police had earlier arrested Rahul Kelkar, Prakash Gaikwad, Aniket Rane and a woman.

The crime branch officer said Dhuri posed as a senior officer of the Mumbai civic body BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) to lure gullible youths.

He used to roam in cars with BMC stickers, he said.

The alleged crime took place between October 2017 and May 2018.

The officer said the youths were given fake joining letters by the accused persons in lieu of cash.

He said the victims were allegedly paid "salaries" of Rs 10,000 by the accused to make them believe that they had landed the job.

Police have registered a case under various sections of the IPC, including fraud and cheating.