Kashmiri man’s gang duped job-seekers across country

ShariqSeveral complaints have been posted on online forums against Anand-based Paradise International operated by one of the accused Divyesh Patel, an accomplice of Shariq. Many victims have described how they were lured in by the firm with promises of jobs abroad. A person identified as Veer Singh has posted on website of Gujarat Rojgaar Samachar about how he was cheated by Paradise International last year. Singh wrote that he made agreement with the firm for jobs for his clients in Russia but they had to return empty-handed from Russia within two days. Singh claimed that his clients didn’t even get their money back. MD Arman from Kolkata too has posted similar complaint against Paradise International on the same website. Arman said that he was promised job in Russia by a person named Akash Thaapa who took Rs 1.2 lakh from him. Arman complained that he was given offer letter but never got job. Another victim Gopi N Reddy had even shot off a letter to Consulate General of India and Russia stating that he reached Russia after being promised job there by Paradise International. Reddy said in his online complaint posted in May last year that he paid over Rs 2.40 lakh to the firm that gave him a tourist visa to Russia and promised that it would be changed to work permit. But he complained that but no one showed up to receive him at Russia and he didn’t get his money back. Another complaint posted on www.consumerforums.in accuses Refaai and his wife of cheating innocent job seekers from across the country. The post made last year claims Refaai operated a firm called SSR Consultants Private Ltd in Chandigarh and how he duped job-seekers by first taking registration fees for setting up interviews and then told them that they failed in interviews. Later, the same candidates were offered overseas job by showing fake assessment letters. The candidates are taken overseas and then duped by asking for payment midway under some pretext. “We have also learnt about the frauds done by Refaai and his gang from some websites where complaints against them have been posted. We will put these evidences before the court too. This gang has duped many across the country by changing their identities. If any person has been duped by this gang, they are free to come forward and register complaint,” said DCP (south), Gautam Parmar. Apart from Shariq and Divyesh, the other gang members include Hardik Patel, Dikshit Patel and Himanshu Patel. The scam surfaced when Shariq was caught with fake passport, PAN card and driving license by the police. During interrogation her revealed about the other accused and even claimed that he was forced into cheating people.