Itanagar: The absconding kingpin of a job-scam in Pasighat-based North-East Institute of Folk Medicines (NEIFM) allegedly involving crores of rupees surrendered before East Siang district police on Saturday.
Osing Dai, the mastermind who works as a clerk in the NEIFM, on being produced before the local magistrate was given seven-day police remand.
Investigation is on to ascertain the modus operandi and the amount involved, East Siang Superintnedent of Police Pushpendra Kumar said today.
Stating that gullible job seekers paid hefty amounts without cross checking facts, the SP made a fervent appeal to aggrieved job seekers to lodge complaints with the police with evidence of payment to facilitate repayment in case of recovery.
Osing had managed to convince job seekers through agents that the institute set up by union ministry of health and family welfare under AYUSH would recruit for 174 posts, including A, B and C grades, sources said.
NEIFM director Otem Dai had sent a proposal to the ministry for creation of 174 posts in the administrative, hospital, clinical lab, pharmacy, research, publicity and gardening wings in July 2012.
The accused had forged the document with Dai’s signature showing walk-in interview dates in December last to convince the candidates or their guardians.
Many of them coughed up hefty sums allegedly ranging from Rs 3 to Rs 5 lakh each but when the date of interview came, he went missing by leaving a message that he was going to Bogibil to meet some NEIFM officials coming from Delhi, the SP said.
As he remained untraced for two days, a search operation was launched suspecting that he might have been kidnapped, sources said.
But on a tip-off that the accused had withdrawn Rs 40,000 each twice through ATM in Assam and Sikkim, things became clear, the SP said.
Facts came to light when the aspiring candidates were told that that there was no vacancy and question of walk-in interview did not arise without seeking applications.
The director on returning from tour lodged an FIR with the police on December 20 stating the fact.
PTI
