The Central Railway Vigilance Team successfully busted a fake recruitment racket, apprehending the key orchestrator, Narsimha R. Pai, in a meticulously planned operation on December 13, 2023.

Details of operation

The operation was set into motion following a written complaint received on December 12, 2023, which detailed Pai’s fraudulent activities. The complainant revealed that Pai claimed to have influential connections within the Railways and promised lucrative job opportunities within two months, contingent upon the payment of a substantial sum of 6 lakh rupees. The complaint specified a meeting point at Ghatkopar station, where Pai instructed the victim to hand over the initial instalment of Rs. 1 lakh.

Swiftly verifying the authenticity of the complaint, the Central Railway Vigilance Team, comprised of dedicated officers, inspectors, and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, formulated a strategy. Armed with government currency totaling Rs. 25,000, the team laid a trap at Ghatkopar station to apprehend the fraudulent recruitment handler.

Accused Narsimha R. Pai | Kamal Mishra

The operation resulted in the red-handed arrest of Narsimha R. Pai, with the recovered bribe amount of Rs. 25,000 matching the pre-arranged currency provided for the trap. “A subsequent search of his mobile phone unveiled damning evidence of his involvement in transferring funds to an accomplice in Bihar. During preliminary interrogation, Pai confessed to collaborating with others in orchestrating fake railway appointments,” said an official of CR, adding that accused Pai was later handed over to Kurla GRP for further action.

Govt Railway Police registers FIR

“An FIR was promptly registered by the Government Railway Police, Kurla, under IPC sections 420 and 34. Investigations are underway to identify and apprehend other individuals implicated in this deceptive recruitment racket,” said officials.

The Chief Vigilance Officer and Senior Deputy General Manager of Central Railway, Prateek Goswami, provided crucial guidance and direction to the vigilant team. The dedicated efforts of Ajay Kumar, K D More, Rajkumar Singh, Chief Vigilance Inspectors, and the security personnel—A M Awhad, Shri Arbind Budke, and S M Kotwal—were instrumental in the successful operation, ensuring justice is served.

“The Railways, through this incident, sends a strong message to the public, urging them not to engage with fraudulent recruitment handlers. Individuals are encouraged to report any suspicious activities to the police or the concerned Vigilance department,” said Dr. Shivraj Manaspure, chief public relations officer of CR.

“This swift and decisive action by the Central Railway Vigilance Team highlights the commitment to upholding integrity and fairness within the recruitment processes, safeguarding the aspirations of genuine job seekers,” he said.