Mumbai: Nearly 400 people, including Keralites have been cheated of over one lakh rupees each on promise of jobs in the oil sector overseas. Exline Marine Offshore, a firm working at Sector 10, Kopar Kharaine, is seen to have pocketed crores from the cheating.
As the police turned a blind eye to complaints lodged against the firm, the cheated people approached the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner directly with the help of Malayali organisations.
All victims have lost their money and passports.
The firm, which is estimated to have amassed some Rs 4 crore from the candidates, had asked the victims to reach Mumbai swiftly, assuring that the job was secured. Many of the victims, from different parts of India, were also forced to waste money on air tickets as they were asked to rush on the assurance that the job is ready. That was apart from the Rs 1 lakh each one had given to the firm.
The firm had advertised on websites for engineers and helpers for vacancies at oil wells in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Some of those who called up were asked to arrive with passports and educational certificates.
A young woman at the office in Kopar Kharaine had conducted interviews. The job-seekers were asked to remit Rs 30,000 immediately, and Rs 60,000 later. A sum of Rs 30,000 was to be paid for air tickets around the time of the promised journey abroad. The firm also extracted Rs 15,000 under the name of certification.
The firm won over us with prompt actions and good conduct, the victims said. Prabhu, a job-seeker from Thiruvalla, said the cheating became evident as things slowed down.
Some of those cheated travelled to Mumbai from Kerala and visited the office. The woman, named Avantika, introduced one Sajid Khan as the owner. He sent them back under the promise that everything will be finalised within 28 days. However, before that deadline, the agency sent a message to everyone, asking them to reach Mumbai fast as everything is set.
One batch of people, who were asked to reach at 3 pm on June 26, got the message just the previous day. It was the same with those who were supposed to take flights on June 27 and 28. Those who flew in and reached the office faced a confusion as Avantika gave a different information. That strengthened suspicion. And there was no sign of Khan. The job-seekers said they checked Avantika's scooter number with the motor transport department website and found that her real name was Asha. They were then certain that this was a cheating racket.
The job-seekers, who had reached and met in Mumbai in three days, organised a WhatsApp group and exchanged information, which confirmed that they have been cheated.
Malayali cultural organisations in Navi Mumbai, including the New Bombay Cultural Center, are offering assistance to the victims.
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