Two arrested in fake job racket

Mumbai police's crime branch busted a fake job racket, by arresting two persons for allegedly cheating people with the promise of jobs in Gulf countries, police said here on Tuesday.

The Unit-1 of the crime branch arrested Akram Sharif Shaikh (47), a resident of Cheeta Camp in Trombay and Dongri resident Mohammed Shabir Akbar Master alias Munna (52) on Monday, an official said.

The third accused in the case, who operates from another state, is on the run, he said, adding that the police suspect the involvement of few others.

On investigation, the police found that the accused had allegedly cheated hundreds of unemployed people across the country under false pretext of getting them jobs in Gulf nations, the official said.

The case came to light on Sunday, when Zakir Kasim Khan (37) approached Pydhonie police station with the complaint that he had been cheated by the accused, the official said.

The complainant alleged that he had paid the accused Rs 75,000 and submitted his passport to complete his visa procedure, he added.

After a few days, Khan got a picture of his passport stamped with Kuwait visa, he said, adding that the accused asked for more money from him, which included travel fare.

Accordingly, the complainant paid the amount, but found that the visa printed on his passport was forged, he said.

Acting on the complaint, the crime branch raided a office at Patwa Chambers near Masjid Bunder railway station and seized two computers, a printer, 79 passports, printouts of Kuwait visas and rubber stamps, he said.

The arrested accused were produced before the court, where they were sent to police custody till November 18, he said, adding that the probe is underway.