Fake job scam exposed by police in Madhya Pradesh:Youngsters and three sisters duped of lakhs by fraudster posing as Deputy CM representative

A young woman from Sagar narrated her ordeal after falling victim to a cunning fraudster, Aman Pathak, who promised government jobs but swindled her of money. The accused created a fake Instagram ID under the name ‘Sonam Pathak’ to trap youngsters, claiming to be close to ministers and a representative of the Deputy Chief Minister. He would initially demand a small amount to gain trust, and later extort millions. Using tactics such as meeting victims in Bhopal and Sagar, gifting expensive bouquets at ministers’ residences, and taking photos with politicians, he showcased his influence to further deceive youth. The money extorted was spent on his girlfriend and a lavish lifestyle, including luxury cars and expensive flats. After his arrest, no one has intervened on his behalf. Police apprehended him in Bhopal, brought him to Sagar, and took him on remand for interrogation. Investigation reveals scale of fraud Bank accounts, associates, and transactions are under investigation. So far, eight young men and three sisters have filed complaints, alleging they were swindled out of a total of ₹11.25 lakh. Police have warned the public to remain vigilant against such fraudsters and report suspicious activity immediately. Rajnandini Rajput, a resident of Sagar, filed a complaint at Motinagar police station on January 6. She stated that she contacted a female supervisor on Instagram about a government job. She was told to pay 10% of the fee upfront, with 90% due after confirmation of the job. Trusting the ID, she paid ₹10,000 on April 26, eventually transferring a total of ₹1,15,000. She later discovered the Instagram ID was fake and operated by a young man, Aman Pathak. Despite promises to return the money, he did not. When confronted, he became abusive and threatened the complainants. Cunning use of social media and false identity Aman Pathak had been running this fraud network for five years. Using the fake ID ‘Sonam Pathak,’ he posted government recruitment information and contacted unemployed youth, often claiming familial connections to officials. He provided his mobile number to maintain trust, impressing victims with his supposed influence. Initially, he demanded only 10% of the payment, collecting the remainder later. Additional small amounts were extorted over time. He would also arrange meetings in Bhopal outside government offices, giving the illusion of legitimacy. On Truecaller, he set his number as ‘Deputy CM Representative’ to reinforce credibility. Lavish lifestyle and display of influence Pathak regularly visited ministers’ residences with expensive bouquets and arranged for photographs, posting them on social media. A video also showed him near Deputy CM Jagdish Deora, throwing cash. Following his arrest, police found negligible balances in his accounts – ₹27 in one account and ₹1,900 in another. Investigation revealed funds had been transferred to friends’ accounts, who are now being questioned. Defrauded youth and financial losses Aman Pathak defrauded eight youth of ₹5,45,000 in total. Victims included Vishal Suryavanshi (₹70,000), Om Raikwar (₹3,00,000), Varsha (₹55,000), Shivani Jain (₹30,000), Megha Jain (₹30,000), Abhishek Badoliya (₹30,000), Bharat Prajapati (₹15,000), and Devendra Prajapati (₹15,000). All complaints were filed at Makronia police station, leading to a formal investigation. Three sisters – Mayuri Yadav of Gopalganj, and Neetu and Akanksha Yadav of Richhai, lodged complaints with Civil Line police. They met ‘Sonam Pathak’ on Instagram and believed her to be a girl. In 2025, they were persuaded to deal with her brother Aman Pathak, who claimed he could secure government jobs for them. They were shown images of Pathak’s luxury lifestyle and meetings with politicians to reinforce trust. A total of ₹5,80,000 was transferred, including ₹50,000 paid in cash during visits to Bhopal. Despite payment, no jobs were provided, and Aman Pathak began threatening them when money was demanded back. Case registered and under Investigation Additional SP Lokesh Sinha confirmed that complaints were received regarding Aman Pathak’s fraud, which involved misrepresenting himself as politically connected and extorting money in the name of government jobs. A case has been registered against him, and the investigation is ongoing, including tracing associates and identifying additional victims.