A sophisticated fraudulent network targeting job seekers in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division has extracted approximately Rs 6.5 crore by promising government appointments. Following the decline of Naxalism and the subsequent return of normalcy in the region, external cybercrime syndicates have pivoted to exploiting local aspirations for stable public sector employment. Investigating officers revealed that during the past seven months of 2026, police registered 38 distinct cases of employment fraud across multiple police stations. Dedicated investigative units have arrested 27 accused individuals and remanded them to judicial custody, while ongoing operations focus on tracing financial flows and recovering the cheated funds.
Fraudsters Promised Positions Across NMDC, Education, and Healthcare Sectors
The operating methodology of the fraud syndicate involved luring victims with fictitious vacancies across various government departments and public sector enterprises. Scammers offered guaranteed recruitment for positions such as clerks, peons, teachers, forest department staff, medical sector personnel, and jobs at the NMDC plant. The perpetrators generated fake appointment letters, forged department seals, and issued counterfeit joining instructions to gain the trust of victims, demanding large sums of money under the guise of processing fees and selection charges. Bastar police are combining strict prosecution of all identified operatives with intensive financial asset tracing to maximize the recovery of the Rs 6.5 crore total loss sustained by affected families.
Geographic Spread Across Kotwali, Bodhghat, and Parpa Police Jurisdictions
Statistical tracking of the reported complaints indicates that urban and semi-urban localities suffered the highest concentration of fraudulent transactions. The maximum number of criminal cases were formally registered under the jurisdiction of the Kotwali and Bodhghat police stations, alongside additional cases recorded at the Parpa police station. Police intelligence indicates that organized external gangs operating from outside the district remain actively focused on the region, systematically targeting gullible local residents and tribal youth. Containing these remote-operating cyber syndicates and dismantling their local middleman networks represents a critical law enforcement challenge for the Bastar police administration.
Bastar Police Issues Public Caution and Verification Guidelines
In response to the rising incidence of cyber fraud, the Bastar police administration issued an explicit public safety advisory instructing citizens to exercise utmost caution. Authorities reiterated that no individual, agent, or private third party possesses legal authority to secure direct government employment outside established official recruitment channels. Citizens receiving unsolicited employment offers, phone calls, or digital messages are advised to refrain from transferring funds and to verify claims directly with the respective government department's official headquarters. Police also recommended conducting immediate law enforcement background verification of suspect intermediaries, emphasizing that rash financial decisions triggered by job promises lead to severe personal financial devastation.
