NEW DELHI: Delhi Police have busted two fake placement call centres allegedly targeting unemployed job seekers by promising lucrative employment opportunities in exchange for registration and processing fees. Eleven operatives were apprehended during separate raids at a building in Ranjit Nagar near Shadipur Metro Station, police said on Monday.According to police, the accused allegedly sourced personal data and contact details of job seekers from online recruitment platforms and used the information for targeted calls. Posing as recruiters, they offered attractive job opportunities and demanded registration or processing charges of Rs 3,500, Rs 1,400 and Rs 1,200 under different pretexts.After receiving the money, the callers allegedly remained in touch with candidates for a few days, assuring them about employment and further formalities, before cutting off communication without providing the promised jobs.Police said information was received on October 3 about a suspected fake job-placement centre operating from a building near Shadipur Metro Station. Following technical and field verification, investigators found a high volume of calls linked to suspected placement activity originating from the premises.A raid was conducted, during which six persons — four women and two men — were found operating from the facility and were apprehended for verification.During the search, police recovered computer systems, calling applications and digital material allegedly used to contact job seekers. Verification revealed that job-seeker data and contact details were being used to approach candidates and offer employment opportunities, police said.In a separate operation, police raided another suspected fake placement call centre functioning from the same building based on specific intelligence inputs.Five men were found manning the calling cubicles and were apprehended. Police said they were unable to produce corporate authorisation letters, placement agreements or records of candidates genuinely placed in jobs when asked to establish the legitimacy of their recruitment activities.Investigators found internet-based VoIP calling software and job-seeker data stored in the computer systems at the premises, police added.The six persons apprehended from the first call centre were identified as Arpit (38), Ashok (36) and four women aged between 27 and 29 years. Those apprehended from the second centre were identified as Asim (32), Sandeep (29), Gaurav Malik (34), Gyan Singh (32) and Rohit (34).Police seized 13 computer systems, five mobile phones, calling software, job-seeker data, communication records and digital and financial evidence from the two premises.A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.(With Agency Inputs)
