Woman pays Rs 3.5 lakh to ‘recruitment officer’ for UP cop job, conned

Ghaziabad: A 25-year-old woman was promised a job in the state's police force and was cheated of Rs 3.5 lakh over the period of almost one year. An FIR was registered on Wednesday.
The complainant, Aarti Kumari, wanted to join the force and told her aunt, Vaishali, that she had been preparing for it. Vaishali introduced her to an acquaintance named Ajit Kumar, whose uncle, he claimed, was a recruitment officer.
"When I spoke to Ajit Kumar, he said his uncle was the recruitment officer and could help me join the police force. However, he said I would need to pay money before the application forms were released. Ajit Kumar, who identified himself as a veterinary officer in Chharra Aligarh, provided his ID and a photo of his uncle. Between Feb 24, 2024, and Jan 2025, I transferred Rs 3.5 lakh to him, including Rs 1.4 lakh in cash, and the remaining amount through UPI," she said.
"Later, he asked me for Rs 30,000 more, claiming my application was in process. I mentioned having a credit card, and Ajit Kumar asked for a photocopy of it. After I sent it, he withdrew Rs 60,000 from the credit card in two transactions. Once the recruitment process was completed, I saw that my name wasn't on the list. On Feb 15, I confronted him about taking my money under false pretences and demanded a refund. He hurled abuses at me and refused to return the money," the victim said. Aarti made a complaint at Nandgram police station on Feb 16, but no action was taken. Later, she met a senior police officer, and only after that, an FIR was registered today.
Poonam Mishra, ACP of Nandgram, said an FIR was registered against the accused under sections of 316 (2) (criminal breach of trust), 318 (4) (cheating), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of trust) of BNS.