Goa man duped of ₹27 lakh in fake excise commissioner appointment scam

Police in Goa have registered a case against a fraudster who allegedly duped a local man of ₹27 lakh by posing as a government recruiter and offering him a position as Excise Commissioner. The victim, identified as Manoj Talekar, reportedly handed over the substantial sum to the accused, Ajit Shankhwalkar, based on false promises of securing him a coveted government role. The scheme came to light when Talekar attempted to take charge of the purported posting, only to discover that the appointment order was counterfeit. Investigators determined that Shankhwalkar had systematically defrauded the victim by manufacturing forged official documents and exploiting the man's aspirations for government employment. The case highlights the prevalence of job-related fraud schemes in the region, where unsuspecting candidates are targeted by criminals offering lucrative positions in government departments in exchange for cash payments. Authorities have advised job seekers to verify appointments through official government channels and exercise caution when approached by unofficial recruiters demanding upfront payments.