Fake metro rail job racket busted in Patna, kingpin among 3 held

Patna: Police busted a fake recruitment racket targeting Patna Metro Rail Corporation job aspirants and arrested three people, including the alleged mastermind. The gang ran a fraudulent website and social media campaigns for nearly two years, luring candidates with bogus exams and paid training schemes.According to police, the racket was exposed after multiple complaints were lodged at Jakkanpur police station on Dec 28 and Ramakrishna Nagar police station on Dec 18. Acting on a tip-off, Jakkanpur police verified the information and caught two suspects conducting fake interviews at Meethapur, Bypass Road. “During interrogation, the accused confessed to operating a fake Patna Metro website. The gang ran aggressive digital campaigns on social platforms for two years, ensuring their ads appeared prominently for searches like ‘Patna Metro Jobs,’” said Abhinav Kumar, ASP Sadar (Patna), told media persons on Wednesday.Fraudsters charged an initial online registration fee of around Rs1,200. Over 2,000 candidates from across Bihar applied and around 700 were shortlisted for further stages. Fake written exams were held in July 2025 in Patna, followed by interviews. “Of the 700 shortlisted, about 80 were deliberately failed and offered a ‘second chance’ through paid training courses for roles like data operator, electrician, or fitter.

Training fees ranged from Rs50,000 to Rs60,000. Victims who paid arrived for training or job postings only to find no one at the given location, realizing they had been duped. So far, the gang has defrauded victims of around Rs8 lakh, though ongoing investigations suggest the total amount could be higher,” the ASP said.The accused were identified as Navneet Kumar, the alleged mastermind and a native of Saharsa district. He previously ran a computer center and was said to be the main operator of the racket. He has been remanded to police custody for further questioning. His associates Akhilesh Kumar Chaudhary, a resident of Supaul district, and Dinesh Kumar Sao from Nawada district, who assisted in conducting the fake interviews were also held.