CBI probing attempts to cheat job seekers through fake email advts

Attempts to cheat job seekers through fake email advertisements have been unearthed after one of the applicants approached the Rural Development Ministry complaining that some people are seeking money for appointments.

The CBI has now registered a case after the it came to light that a large number of people have responded to a fake advertisement through email on job opportunities in the Department of Land Reform and Development.

The lid on the episode was lifted when one of the applicants Sudhesh Kumar wrote to the Ministry that he and others have applied for various posts.

"Now they are asking money for interview. We are under confusion whether this is fake or true site," he wrote in the mail after attaching the advertisement and admit card.

As per the notice to sent to Kumar, candidates were asked to deposit Rs 3,000 (for General /OBC candidates) and Rs 1,500 for others "online on www.ndlri.com". The government websites do not go by .com but either .gov or .nic.

It also said that the candidate will not be allowed to appear for interview if the "security amount". It said the refundable security deposit is made mandatory "just to ensure" that only genuine applicants appear for the interview as the written exam has been cancelled.

This alerted the office of Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar with his private secretary Navneeth Mohan Kothari urging the Chief Vigilance Officer to further steps.

As per the information provided by the applicant, a recruitment notice No 23192 was issued for filling up of various posts of billing clerk, computer technician, data entry operator, electrical technical, peon, cleaner and store keeper.

However, the Department made it clear that the email advertisement does not pertain to them and "there are no sanctioned posts of billing clerk, computer technician, data entry operator, electrical technical, peon, cleaner and store keeper in their department".

This prompted CVO Alka Upadhyay to write to CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma to register a case and investigate the issue.

"Prima facie, this case appears to be a case of criminal culpability. The Minister for Rural Development has desired that the matter be got investigated by a central investigation agency," Upadhyay wrote in the letter.

Following this, the CBI has registered a case against unknown persons under Sections 120 (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) and Section 66D (cheating by using computer resource) of Information and Technology Act.