Palghar, Maharashtra: Four individuals in Palghar district were allegedly duped of Rs 12.2 lakh by a fraudster who promised them jobs in the Customs department, police said on Saturday.

According to authorities, the incident came to light after a complaint was filed, leading to the registration of a case on Thursday under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The accused, identified as Yogesh Manwar, allegedly contacted the victims between 2022 and March 2023, assuring them of positions in the Customs department. The victims collectively paid him Rs 12.2 lakh in exchange for these promised jobs.

To further deceive the victims, Manwar allegedly provided them with counterfeit IDs and forged documents, making them believe the job offers were genuine. However, the victims realized they had been scammed when the promised jobs never materialized, and their money was not refunded.

The police are currently investigating the case, but no arrests have been made so far.