Sambalpur: A massive job scam promising government sweeper posts has been unearthed in western Odisha, with fraudsters allegedly duping hundreds of poor individuals across multiple districts. The Burla police have arrested two persons, including a woman, in connection with the racket and seized ₹62 lakh in cash from their possession.
According to police, the scam operated across Sambalpur, Bargarh, Boudh, and Subarnapur districts, where the accused collected money from people by promising them government jobs as sweepers. Each victim was reportedly charged ₹12,000, with the total amount of fraud estimated to be around ₹2 crore.
The arrests were made after several complaints surfaced about fake job offers. Burla police detained the two accused last night and brought them in for questioning. However, the move triggered a protest outside the Burla police station, where a large group of women gathered demanding the release of the accused.
Investigations revealed that the fraudsters had lured several women, mostly from economically weaker backgrounds, into paying for non-existent jobs. The Sambalpur Municipal Corporation had earlier issued a public notice, warning citizens not to fall for such fraudulent recruitment offers.
During the raid, police seized ₹62,01,000/- in cash, two mobile phones, one van, one four-wheeler, and several documents, including Aadhaar cards, bank passbooks, and photographs, used in the scam. The case has been registered at Burla police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are likely as the racket appears to have links across multiple districts. Officers have also assured the victims that strict legal action will be taken against all those involved.
