Mangaluru, April 22: A Kerala based man has been accused of running a fake institution in the city and duping many aspirants of several lakhs with false assurances of providing them with jobs in defence and railways.
Santosh, who is the accused, has gone absconding. The institution has been locked now. It is said that Santosh is running an ‘institution’ named as Academy of Career Guidance Incorporation (Trust) at Bikarnakatte in Mangaluru.
On Tuesday April 21st around 30-35 students of the ‘academy’ who were allegedly duped by Santosh gathered at the premises to demand their cash back, this matter came to light. It is alleged that the security personnel at the premises had locked them up, after which the students phoned the police and the media.
After receiving information from the aspirants who were allegedly locked by the security personnel, DCP Santhosh Babu along with Kadri police inspector T D Nagaraj and team came to the spot and rescued them.
Students said that Santosh after obtaining the lists of aspirants who failed or were disqualified in recruitment tests conducted for defence, railways and other government sectors; used to write to them saying that he would provide training to them in his academy and subsequently jobs in the defence, railways and other sectors.
Initially, he would tell them that the training would be free of cost. But after they joined, he would demand for money in order to get them recruited. Like this, he duped each aspirant of anywhere between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakhs.
Aspirants from various parts of Karnataka like Udupi, Beltanagady, Ballari, Vijaypura, Puttur and other places joined the ‘training’, who were provided accommodation.
Sources said when they had come on April 14th, Santosh had reportedly promised to give them back their money, but since then he has absconded.
Speaking to the media, Mahantesh from Vijayapura, one of the aspirants, said, I have given Rs 1.5 lakh and mess fee of Rs 20,000 to Santosh. I am here since the past six months and I was not even let to visit my parents at home. Santosh has cheated many people in the name of providing jobs in defence. He would get list of disqualified aspirants with their complete details and then dupe them. He would also make fake SSLC and PU certificates and other documents, he said.
Chandrashekar from Vijaypura and Vishal from Belagavi also said they had given Santosh Rs 1.5 lakh each.
Another aspirant from Uppinangady, said that he too has paid Rs 1.5 lakh to Santosh. Chetan from Shivamogga said that he had borrowed Rs 1 lakh loan with interest from money lenders in order to pay Santosh, and now the money lenders are troubling his parents at home. Arun Kumar from Somwarpet and Yathish of Beltangady had given Rs 65,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively, they said.
The aspirants also alleged that Santosh had previously given them cheques that had bounced.
DCP Santhosh Babu speaking to reporters, said, students have alleged that Santhosh from Kerala is involved in providing fake SSLC, PU and caste certificates, and also has cheated students of lakhs of rupees assuring them of providing jobs in defence and railways. I have instructed the police inspector to obtain a search warrant from the court and also book him under relevant sections.
There are two cases of fraud against Santosh in Karnataka high court, but both are presently under stay order, it is learnt.
