A 31-year-old private employee from Badlapur on Monday lodged a complaint with Kalachowkie police, alleging that he was duped of Rs 22.54 lakh by a Thane man who claimed to have contacts in Mantralaya and promised him and his brother government jobs.

The accused, identified as Nadeem Ibrahim Khedkar, allegedly used an elaborate ruse spanning over six months (August 25, 2023, to February 26, 2024), complete with digital payment trails and even a fake “appointment visit” to the Mantralaya to make his scheme appear authentic. Police said that Ramesh (name changed) was introduced to the accused through a former colleague, Reshma (name changed).