Man arrested for posing as IB officer & duping job seekers in Meghalaya

Shillong, May 26 (PTI) A 39-year-old man was arrested for posing as an IB Officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs and duping 38 job seekers of Rs 80 lakh, police said.

Richard Tiplang Swer of Wahingdoh was arrested on Thursday, SP (City) Vivek Syiem told PTI.

One vehicle with a siren and VIP beacon light, mobile, laptop and incriminating papers have been seized from his house at Wahingdoh, the SP said.

Two cases have been registered against Swer at Mawlai police station and Lumdiengjri police station.

The SP said a complaint was received on May 16 against Swer, who was claiming to be an IB Officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs and offered to provide jobs in the Secretariat, Shillong and told the complainant to collect money from all persons interested according to their qualifications.

The complainant collected an amount of Rs 80 lakh from 38 persons and paid the amount to him but he evaded the complainant when the people who paid money did not get jobs.

Another complaint was received at Lumdiengjri police station on May 22, where it was alleged that Swer posed as an officer of the Police Special Branch and told the complainant that he can provide jobs in the Police Department under the condition that the applicants pay an amount of Rs 1 lakh for non-matriculate and Rs 50,000 for matriculate.

The complainant informed the same to his friends and one of his friends handed over an advance amount of Rs 50,000 to the person through his driver at Motphran, Shillong in March 2023.

Meanwhile, police said that anyone who has been duped by the impersonator is requested to lodge an FIR at the nearest police station.