‘Work-from-home’ scam: Maharashtra man allegedly dupes over 8,000 women in Belagavi of Rs 12 crore
Belagavi: In a major fraud, a man from Maharashtra allegedly swindled more than 8,000 women in Belagavi of over Rs 12 crore by promising them ‘work-from-home’ jobs, before fleeing from his rented home and office in Belagavi.
A group of women recently approached the Belagavi Police Commissioner alleging that they were cheated by a man who promised them steady earnings through a work-from-home scheme involving the packing of agarbattis (incense sticks), The New Indian Express reported on Monday.
The accused, who initially identified himself as Ajay Patil, is said to have collected between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 from each woman under the pretext of creating an employment ID, while also requiring each participant to recruit two more women in what appears to be a chain-marketing model. Investigations later revealed that his real name is Babasaheb Kolekar, a native of Solapur, who has since absconded.
Victims quoted in the news report said the fraudulent scheme primarily targeted women associated with self-help groups. Each participant was asked to pay between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000, allegedly as a “rental charge” for autorickshaws that would deliver incense sticks to their homes for packing and later collection.
The women were promised a monthly income of Rs 2,500 for completing the packaging work from home. They were further enticed with assurances of higher earnings if they recruited additional members into the scheme. However, when the promised payments never materialised, several women began questioning the organisers and eventually came together to file complaints with the authorities.
Laxmi Kamble, one of the victims of the scam, lost her husband recently and was seeking a work-from-home opportunity to support her family. She learned about the purported job scheme through other women in her community and joined it in the hope of earning a livelihood. “Many women got enrolled in this scheme due to mouth-to-mouth publicity. The police commissioner should take this case seriously, arrest the accused who fled to Maharashtra and help to return our money,” TNIE quoted her as saying.
Govind Lamani, an autorickshaw driver, said the mastermind of the scheme had hired six to seven autos to deliver incense sticks to women’s homes as part of the purported work-from-home arrangement. He added that his own wife had fallen victim to the fraud, losing Rs 20,000 in cash.
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JK: Fire breaks out in commercial building near Lal Chowk, 19 gas cylinders recovered
Srinagar (PTI): A fire broke out in a five-storey commercial building near the Lal Chowk city centre here on Saturday, but was doused before it could spread in the congested business hub, officials said.
They said firefighters recovered 19 gas cylinders during the operation and there were no casualties in the incident.
Assistant Director, Fire and Emergency Services, Aqib Mir, said, "The fire originated from the attic portion of the building, which houses the kitchen of a restaurant. The cause of the fire is being ascertained."
"The attic was severely damaged. There were no casualties," he said.
The firefighters managed to contain the damage by swiftly dousing the blaze using a hydraulic platform, Mir said.
During the firefighting operation, 19 gas cylinders were recovered from the spot, he said.
"We have informed the concerned police station," he added.
Mir appealed to people not to store combustible substances at home or commercial places.
