Mumbai: Jalgaon man alleges overseas job scam, files complaint

A man from Jalgaon has filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police alleging he was cheated of Rs 368 lakh by a placement agency that promised him a job in Canada officials saidAccording to the Bangur Nagar Police Station the complaint states that a Mumbaibased overseas recruitment firm of offering a Pharmacy Assistant position abroad to the 37yearold complainant but failing to provide the promised employment after the victim travelled overseasThe complainantrsquos statement stated that he first came into contact with a travel agent Rayyan Abdul Nabi Jahagirdar in 2022 while searching for overseas employment opportunitiesThe agent allegedly connected him with representatives of Aris Overseas Company which offered him a job as a pharmacy assistant in Regina Saskatchewan under the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee ProgramCanada job offerThe job offer reportedly included a salary of USD 2330 per hour40 hours of work per week a twoyear contract accommodation and training support andpayments made for job processingThe complainant told police that he paid several amounts to the company for the recruitment processAccording to the complaintRs 40000 in cash was paid in May 2023 for processingRs 160 lakh and Rs 150 lakh were later transferred to company officials and Rs 18585 was paid for biometrics and visa processing In total the victim claims to have paid Rs 368 lakh to secure the overseas jobSent to Canada but no jobThe complainant said he later received a visa and was instructed to travel to CanadaHowever he was asked to purchase his own flight ticket Instead of travelling to Regina as promised he was directed to fly to TorontoHe arrived in Toronto on 11 October 2024 but no company representative came to receive himFor nearly 13 days he stayed in different hotels at his own expense while trying to contact the agency officials When no assistance arrived he returned to Mumbai on 26 October 2024Other victims allegedly cheated tooThe complainant also claimed that at least three other individuals were similarly cheated by the agencyEach victim allegedly paid around Rs 368 lakh for overseas job placements that never materialisedAccording to sources the total alleged fraud amounts to around Rs 1472 lakh The agencyrsquos office is reportedly located in Malad West in MumbaiAn officer from Bangur Nagar police station confirmed that a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya SanhitaPolice said they will verify documents and investigate the role of the agency and individuals involved in the alleged fraudAgent claims limited roleRayyan Abdul Nabi Jahagirdar who runs a travel business named Travolution India in Jalgaon said his work mainly involves assisting students seeking higher education abroadHe claimed the representatives of Aris Overseas Company approached him in 2023 and proposed a partnership arrangement in which his role was only to refer potential clientsAccording to him he referred four candidates in 2024 including the complainant He alleged that the company collected money from them on the promise of jobs in Canada but allegedly sent the victim on a tourist visa insteadHe also claimed that the same fraud was committed against three other candidates he had referred and urged authorities to take strict action against those responsible