Jobs-for-cash rackets continue to rock Goa

CANACONA
Two more jobs-for-cash rackets were reported in different parts of the State, when a police constable was arrested by Ponda police in one case, while Canacona police in another case arrested a man from Sanquelim, and booked another person from Polem-Canacona.

Canacona police had acted after the duo was accused of duping a Canacona youth to the tune of Rs 5 lakh on the pretext of promising a job in the police department. This is the second jobs-for-cash racket reported in Canacona in two weeks.

According to reports, a Canacona youth Krishna Naik had filed a police complaint accusing Ravin Bhandari of Polem and Rameshwar Mandrekar of Sanquelim of taking Rs 5 lakh as advance, after promising him a job in the police department.

While an FIR was filed against the duo, police arrested Mandrekar and booked Bhandari in the case.

Sources informed that in 2020, one of the accused approached Naik, assuring him a government job and his appointment in the police department while recruitments were underway.

It is reportedly learnt that the accused from Polem assured the youth, who was badly looking for a job, that the Sanquelim man has close contacts in the government and would provide him a government job. The deal was reportedly struck and Rs 5 lakh was paid as advance.

When a year passed and there were no signs of any appointment, Naik contacted both the accused to demand the return of his money, but the two accused allegedly began avoiding the complainant.

Naik reportedly lodged a complaint with Canacona Police. But according to sources, Canacona police reportedly did not act in the matter for some time.

Finally, present Canacona Police Inspector Harish Raut Desai took cognisance of the pending complaint and registered an FIR against the two accused and called them at the police station for an enquiry.

Mandrekar was reportedly picked up from Bicholim, after a Canacona police team had camped in Sanquelim since the last four days. Mandrekar was nabbed and brought to the Canacona police station, where he was later placed under arrest. Further investigation is being conducted by Canacona PSI Vishal Velip.

Earlier on October 27, Canacona Police had arrested three persons, Mithil Chari of Mahalwada-Poinguinim, Pritesh Chari of Iddar-Loliem, and Parag Raikar of Margao in another jobs-for-cash racket, when they were accused of duping Nisha Chari of Iddar-Loliem to the tune of Rs 15 lakh on the pretext of providing a job in the PWD.