New Delhi: The Delhi Police have successfully dismantled a fraudulent government job recruitment scheme, apprehending two individuals, including the alleged mastermind, officials announced on Monday.
The primary suspect, Rashid Choudhury, a resident of Hyderabad, is accused of orchestrating a cyber scam under the guise of the “National Rural Development and Recreation Mission (NRDRM),” falsely presenting it as a legitimate government entity affiliated with the Ministry of Rural Development.
The scheme came to light following a complaint lodged by the Ministry of Rural Development on March 22, which reported the existence of counterfeit recruitment advertisements on two fraudulent websites. These sites misleadingly featured images of Union ministers and high-ranking officials to deceive job seekers.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla, the scam involved collecting registration fees ranging from Rs 299 to Rs 399 from applicants. “An FIR was registered, and a thorough investigation was initiated,” he stated during a press briefing.
🚨दिल्ली पुलिस @DCPNewDelhi के साइबर थाने की टीम ने फ़र्ज़ी सरकारी नौकरी के नाम पर ठगने वाले गिरोह के 2 सदस्यों को किया गिरफ्तार
— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) May 19, 2025
🚨ग्रामीण विकास मंत्रालय के नाम से नौकरी के फ़र्ज़ी ऑनलाइन इश्तेहार चलाकर रजिस्ट्रेशन फ़ीस के नाम पर ठगते थे अपराधी
🚨पुलिस टीम ने तकनीकी सर्वेलेंस… pic.twitter.com/RcaMeKNqTb
As the investigation progressed, authorities traced a QR code embedded in the fraudulent websites to a bank account in Assam. The funds were funneled through multiple mule accounts before being withdrawn from ATMs.
In their pursuit of evidence, police analyzed over a hundred CCTV footages to track the cash withdrawals, ultimately leading them to the Laxmi Nagar area in East Delhi, where surveillance confirmed the presence of the suspects.
On May 18, a raid was executed, resulting in the arrest of Ikbal Hussain, 27, from Assam, who admitted to withdrawing money on behalf of the gang. Following his confession, police apprehended Rashid Choudhury in a separate flat within the same locality.
“The Deputy Commissioner of Police stated, ‘Choudhury is a notorious cybercriminal and the mastermind behind this elaborate scheme. He orchestrated a network comprising web developers, account handlers, and SIM card procurers.'”
The police have confiscated a substantial cache of evidence, including 11 mobile phones, 15 SIM cards, 21 cheque books, 15 debit cards, a point-of-sale (POS) machine, four counterfeit stamps, and five Wi-Fi dongles. Additionally, they have identified six fraudulent websites that were utilized in the execution of the crime.
The seized devices and associated bank records are currently undergoing analysis in collaboration with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Ongoing investigations aim to uncover additional victims and co-conspirators connected to this nationwide scam.
