Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 19: A recruitment agency named Hire Grow Elegant Overseas International, located at Bendoorwell in the city, has allegedly cheated nearly 300 job aspirants of over Rs 9 crore.

Addressing a press conference, Congress labour unit president Lawrence alleged that several agencies in Dakshina Kannada are operating without registration under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). These agencies lure people with promises of overseas jobs and end up defrauding them of huge sums of money.

Job scams have been rampant in Dakshina Kannada. Though such frauds have slightly declined due to increased awareness around online transactions, the menace persists.

In October–November 2024, the Protector of Emigrants (POE) office in Bengaluru had alerted Mangaluru police about several unregistered recruitment agencies operating in the region. Three such agencies, including Hire Grow Elegant, were identified in Mangaluru and issued notices. However, no action was taken at the time.

In November 2024, Hire Grow Elegant Overseas International advertised overseas job openings, attracting around 300 candidates — 185 from Dakshina Kannada and 115 from Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The agency collected over Rs 1.75 lac from each applicant, citing processing charges, medical tests, visa fees, flight tickets, and other formalities. The payments were taken in installments via QR codes — no cash was accepted.

Some candidates reported being called late at night by agency representatives under the pretext of urgent documentation or processing requirements. The agency claimed that tickets and visas would be sent via courier. However, in the last week of April, the aspirants only received the original documents they had submitted earlier — not visas or tickets as promised.

When a few of them questioned the agency, it abruptly shut down operations on May 2.

Following complaints from the victims, the Congress labour unit, along with several affected candidates, approached the city police commissioner. The case was later transferred to the City Crime Branch (CCB). The CCB has arrested the agency's owner, Masiuallah Atiualla Khan, who is currently in judicial custody.

A case has also been registered against three other individuals at Kadri police station in connection with the scam.