Around 250 kilometers from the state capital Raipur, in a quiet village named Chhapora in the Sakti district, six unsuspecting individuals were recruited for what they believed were legitimate jobs at the country's largest bank, SBI.
The branch, which opened just 10 days ago, featured all the elements of a real bank - new furniture, professional papers, and functioning bank counters.
The villagers, unaware of the ongoing scam, began visiting the "bank" to open accounts and conduct transactions. The newly hired employees were also thrilled to secure jobs at a reputed bank.
Everything appeared normal until top police and SBI officials showed up for an interrogation at the bank on September 27 after the manager of the nearby Dabra branch raised suspicions. It was discovered that the "branch" in Chhapora was a fraud, and the appointments handed out were fake.
"The manager of the Dabra branch informed us of his suspicion regarding a fake bank operating in Chhapora. Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the bank was fake, and several employees had been appointed with counterfeit documents," senior police official Rajesh Patel said.
He said that they have so far identified four people involved in the scam, including Rekha Sahu, Mandir Das, and Pankaj, who posed as the manager of the fake SBI branch.
Mr Patel said the accused seem to be connected.
Offer Letters
The fake branch hired employees with offer letters that looked real, and job titles such as managers, marketing officers, cashiers, and computer operators.
The fraudster also provided training to all the recruits.
These jobs, however, came with a price tag, with the employees paying between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 6 lakh rupees to secure their positions.
The mastermind behind the scam had demanded exorbitant fees from the unemployed, promising them lucrative government jobs in return.
Ajay Kumar Agarwal, a local villager, had applied for an SBI kiosk in Chhapora. When he discovered that an SBI branch had suddenly appeared overnight, he grew suspicious. His nearest legitimate branch was in Dabra, and he couldn't believe that a new branch could open without notice.
Upon his inquiry, the bank's employees failed to provide satisfactory answers, and no branch code was listed on the signboard.
Ajay's suspicion and subsequent report to the Dabra branch manager led to the unraveling of this intricate scam.
The fake SBI branch was set up at a rented complex belonging to Tosh Chandra, a resident of the village. The rent for the space was Rs 7,000 per month.
The fraudster had even arranged proper furniture and signage to make the bank look legitimate.
Their primary targets were unemployed individuals from various districts, including Korba, Balod, Kabirdham, and Sakti.
Jyoti Yadav, who claimed she worked as employee, said, "I submitted my documents, completed the biometrics, and they told me my joining had been confirmed. I was promised a salary of Rs 30,000."
Another victim, Sangeeta Kanwar, said "I was asked for 5 lakh rupees, but I told them I couldn't pay that much. We eventually settled for 2.5 lakh rupees. I was promised a salary of 30-35,000 rupees."
"Many villagers were excited about the new branch and had even considered taking loans once the bank became fully operational," Yogesh Sahu, a local shop owner, said.
"If the fake bank had continued, many people would have deposited money and could have been cheated out of crores," Ram Kumar Chandra, a villager, said.
The unemployed victims now face not only financial losses but also legal troubles. Many of them mortgaged jewelry or took loans to pay for the fake appointments, and are now left grappling with the fallout.
