A 34-year-old man has been arrested in Chennai for allegedly cheating a driver and his family of ₹26.5 lakh under the pretext of securing government jobs.

  • Accused Davith Raja allegedly cheated a family of ₹26.5 lakh.
  • The scam involved promises of jobs in the School Education and Finance Departments.
  • The accused used the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to delay returning the money.
  • New Washermenpet Police have successfully apprehended the suspect.

In a significant crackdown on employment fraud, the New Washermenpet Police in Chennai have arrested 34-year-old Davith Raja. The accused is alleged to have orchestrated a massive scam, defrauding a car driver and his brother of ₹26.5 lakh by promising them lucrative government positions.

The investigation revealed that the ordeal began in 2018. Murali, a 39-year-old driver from Kodungaiyur, was seeking an office assistant role in the Labour Welfare Department when he met Raja. Raja, who was employed at the Tamil Nadu Government Press, used his position to gain Murali's trust, claiming that he and his mother—an employee in the Finance Department—had influential connections with high-ranking officials.

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The Modus Operandi

Raja allegedly promised Murali a driver's position in the School Education Department and a laboratory technician role for his wife, demanding ₹6.5 lakh for each post. Trusting these claims, Murali paid a total of ₹13 lakh in two installments. Exploiting the situation further, Raja then targeted Murali’s younger brother, Siva, and his wife, claiming vacancies were available in the Finance Department and extracting an additional ₹13.5 lakh.

When the promised appointments failed to materialize, Raja reportedly utilized the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as a smokescreen to delay the process and avoid returning the stolen funds. It was only after persistent failure that Murali filed a formal police complaint.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that such scams disproportionately target low-income workers who view government employment as a gateway to stability. By leveraging their perceived proximity to government departments, scammers create a false sense of legitimacy that is difficult for victims to question initially.

Employment fraud involving impersonation of government influence is a rising trend that requires heightened public vigilance.
Did You Know?: Most legitimate government job recruitments in India are conducted through transparent, centralized examinations with no provision for private monetary transactions.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How did the accused delay the fraud?
The accused cited the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to explain the delay in securing the jobs and returning the money.

2. Which police station handled the arrest?
The arrest was carried out by the New Washermenpet Police following a formal complaint by the victim.