Private security agency in MP Nagardupes 11 youths seeking employment

Bhopal: A private security agency operating from a building in the MP Nagar area allegedly duped more than two dozen job-seeking youths and fled. Based on a complaint filed by a woman, MP Nagar police on Friday registered a case of fraud against 11 accused under various sections related to cheating and fraud on complaint.Police said that the complainant alleged that she was charged Rs 550 as a registration fee and Rs 3,750 for a job card. She was then made to work for 26 days and given a target to recruit 26 people into the company. She managed to recruit nine candidates before the office was suddenly shut down and the company disappeared. Police suspect that several other youths may have been similarly cheated under the pretext of providing jobs.According to police, the complainant, Neha, received a call on January 22 from a woman who identified herself as Deepika, inviting her for an HR recruitment interview. On Jan 23, she appeared for the interview at the company's office located in a complex in Zone-1, MP Nagar, where she was interviewed by HR executive Ritu.During the process, Neha was asked to pay Rs 550 in cash for registration. She was later called for joining on January 28, when she was again asked to pay Rs 3,750 for a job card. She was informed that she had been appointed in the HR recruitment role.From January 28 to February 16, she worked in the company, primarily handling tele-calling. During this period, she was assigned a strict target by the company to recruit candidates within a month.However, she later realised that the company was involved in fraudulent activities. When she approached HR Ritu seeking a refund and expressing her desire to quit, she was told that the senior officer was not present and asked to return on February 27 to collect her money. On that date, she was made to write a refund application. She found some other employees demanding refund. The company had collected Rs 500 as an application fee and approximately Rs 3,500 as a security deposit from them too.But when she visited the office again on February 17, she found it locked. Subsequently, she approached MP Nagar police and lodged a complaint. A case has been registered against Alok Srivastava, Ritu and nine other company employees under various sections related to cheating and fraud.