Sambalpur Fake Job Racket Busted: Rs 62 Lakh Seized, Two Arrested
Burla Police in Sambalpur district have dismantled a sprawling fake job racket that defrauded hundreds of job seekers across western Odisha.
The operation, run under the guise of Armex Internet International Pvt Ltd, promised government sweeper jobs in exchange for payments ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per person.
Two individuals—Rahul Ray (32), a native of West Bengal residing in Burla, and Padmalaya Tandi from Khetrajpur—were arrested following a sting operation.
Police recovered Rs 62.01 lakh in cash, two mobile phones, a van, a four-wheeler, and forged documents, including Aadhaar cards, passbooks, and photographs.
The racket had been active outside Sambalpur for nearly a year and operated locally for the past three months. Victims were lured through fake recommendation letters and community meetings designed to build trust.
The scam unravelled when several women, who had paid but received no job confirmation, approached local leaders.
Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo confirmed the arrests and stated that UPI transactions are being tracked to identify further links. Authorities are also searching for Soumya Sahu from Bhubaneswar, believed to be the mastermind and previously accused in a sanitation contract fraud.
Confusion persists among victims—some women claimed they had worked early morning shifts and received payments, questioning the legitimacy of the arrests.
The Sambalpur Municipal Corporation has since issued a public notice clarifying that no official recruitment was conducted.
