The desperate pursuit of secure government employment in West Bengal has paved the way for yet another sophisticated fraud, but this time the victim is a former political representative. Priyanka Mandal, who previously served as the Trinamool Congress chief for the Serampore Gram Panchayat in the Andal block, has exposed a massive job racket. According to her allegations, she and her brother were conned out of Rs 18.5 lakh under the false pretext of securing permanent positions in state government departments. This incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, highlighting how fraudsters are operating complex, parallel systems complete with fake documentation and staged official procedures to dupe unsuspecting victims.
The False Promise and the Extortion
The origins of this elaborate deception trace back to the year 2022. Priyanka Mandal alleges that she came into contact with Jaidev Bauri and Tanmay Bauri, both residents of Saktoria in Asansol, along with another unnamed individual hailing from Dakshinkhand in Andal. These individuals presented themselves as highly connected fixers with deep ties within government circles. They confidently promised to secure a position for Priyanka in the Food Department and a role for her brother, Supriya Mandal, in the Excise Department. Placing her trust in their assurances, Priyanka gradually handed over a staggering total of Rs 18.5 lakh. This massive sum was collected as a supposed guarantee to ensure their placements in these coveted government jobs.
Staging a Fake Process in Kolkata
To ensure their victims remained completely unaware of the scam, the fraudsters orchestrated an incredibly detailed charade. They wanted the entire process to appear entirely legitimate, so they took Priyanka Mandal and her brother to the Dharmatala area in Kolkata, right near an actual Food Department office. In this bustling administrative hub, the scammers conducted fake training sessions and organized mock interviews for the siblings. To cement the illusion, they even handed over forged appointment letters and fake identity cards bearing official-looking seals. The orchestration was so meticulous that Priyanka and her brother initially harbored no suspicions that they were being entangled in a deeply calculated web of deceit.
The Discovery and a Bounced Cheque
The carefully constructed illusion finally crumbled when significant time passed without any actual joining date being provided. Suspicious of the constant delays, Priyanka Mandal decided to independently verify her documents at the relevant government office. The revelation there left her completely shattered. Officials informed her that every single piece of paperwork she possessed, from the training certificates and interview records to the appointment letters and ID cards, was entirely forged. Realizing she had been the victim of a massive scam, Priyanka began putting intense pressure on the accused to return her money. Yielding to this pressure, one of the accused handed her a cheque for Rs 6.5 lakh. However, the deceit continued; when she deposited the cheque in her bank account, it promptly bounced, proving to be just as worthless as the fake job offers.
Intimidation and Allegations of a Broader Syndicate
The situation escalated further when Priyanka Mandal traveled to the residence of the accused in Dakshinkhand to demand her money back in person. Instead of receiving a refund, she alleges that she was confronted and threatened by an influential local Trinamool Congress leader. Priyanka strongly asserts that this fraud is not the work of just a few isolated individuals, but rather the operation of a massive and powerful syndicate that likely involves several influential politicians. These explosive allegations have caused a massive stir in the region. Local residents now believe that if the authorities launch a thorough and impartial investigation based on her complaint, it could expose a vast racket operating under the guise of providing government jobs, potentially unmasking several prominent figures in the process.
