23 Indian engineers ripped off

KATHMANDU, July 10: Police on Saturday busted a cheating racket that ripped off at least 23 engineers from India by promising them jobs in Nepal Airlines. The engineers from different aviation disciplines were lured through an Internet advertisement, the police said.

Of those cheated, the police rescued eight on Saturday afternoon from Tribhuvan International Airport (TAI) when they were about to leave Nepal after the racketeers pretended to have been arrested by the police and warned the engineers to leave the country. 

The racketeers wanted the engineers to leave Nepal forgetting their money, said Inspector Kavit Katuwal who led the operation. "They were terrified." The kingpin of the racket Raju Pahadi was arrested after the Indians were rescued. Taking around IRs 2 lakh from each of the job-seekers, Raju had even provided them fake NA appointment letters during their stay in the capital since June 9. They were put up at three different lodges in the Naya Bus Park area, Gongabu. Fifteen other Indians who are said to have already paid the money to the racketeers were about to come to Nepal within a few days. Among the eight engineers rescued today include Asutosh Raut from Orissa and Abhishek Guhena from Andhra Pradesh. "They were promised jobs with NA as engineers with benefits like a basic salary of Rs 30,000," said officials. Along with Pahadi, one Om Prakash Yadav was also arrested on Saturday. The racketeers have blocked the Google ad following the crackdown, police said. "We are investigating facts and have made considerable progress. We will soon unravel the racket," said Katuwal.

23 Indian engineers ripped off