Mumbai: Police in Mulund have booked a 47-year-old man for allegedly cheating four people who were preparing for police and army examinations.

A 25-year-old student, Saish Dingankar, from Panvel, was the first to approach the police on Thursday. Dingankar, whose father works at the Reserve Bank of India as a senior clerk, was preparing for several state and central government competitive examinations, as were his friends Sandesh Pandit and Prathamesh Shinde.

In 2019, Dingankar was working at RMCL, a network marketing firm, and during an official meeting in Lonavala, he met the accused, Purnachandra Senapati.

Senapati introduced himself as a retired army officer who was currently working in the anti-corruption department in Mumbai. Senapati and Dingankar started talking and soon became friends.

During a visit to Dingankar’s house, Senapati told him that he knew senior officers at state and central agencies. Senapati asked him to quit preparing for examinations and said he could get him direct placements in either the police force or the army. Senapati also convinced Dingankar’s two friends to quit studying and bribe their way into government jobs.

In September 2020, Senapati took Rs2 lakh each from the three. A month later another friend paid him money to get a government job.

Over the next two years, the friends ended up paying Senapati Rs20.15 for jobs that never materialised.

The police have recorded the statements of all four victims. Currently, Senapati, or the man claiming to be Senapati, is absconding, an official said.