Mumbai govt job scam: 7 families duped of ₹68.5 lakh via Mantralaya links
Synopsis
Two men allegedly exploited their claimed connections at Maharashtra's Mantralaya to swindle seven families out of ₹68.50 lakh over several years — with victims including a retired hospital official who mortgaged her jewellery to pay for a government job that never came. The Azad Maidan Police have now launched a hunt for the accused.
Key Takeaways
Seven families in Mumbai were defrauded of a combined ₹68.50 lakh by two accused promising government jobs via Maharashtra Mantralaya contacts.
The fraud reportedly began in 2014 ; victims only realised they had been cheated after years of delays, including excuses tied to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The primary complainant is a retired Sister-in-Charge from GT Hospital , who mortgaged her jewellery to pay ₹5 lakh for a promised Senior Clerk posting.
Accused identified as Suryakant Nivrutti Magre and Yogesh Jagannath Patankar , both booked for cheating and criminal breach of trust.
Azad Maidan Police have recorded victim statements and are actively searching for the accused.
Seven families in Mumbai were collectively defrauded of ₹68.50 lakh by two accused who falsely claimed to have influential connections at the Maharashtra Mantralaya (State Secretariat) and promised government jobs for the victims' children. The Azad Maidan Police have registered a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust, and have launched a manhunt for the accused.
How the Scam Unfolded
The fraud reportedly dates back to 2014, when the primary complainant — a retired Sister-in-Charge from GT Hospital — was seeking employment for her son. A neighbour and colleague, Suryakant Nivrutti Magre, who resided in the GT Hospital staff quarters, allegedly approached her with an offer. Magre claimed his relative, Yogesh Jagannath Patankar, held a position at the Mantralaya and possessed the influence needed to secure government appointments.
The accused promised to arrange a Senior Clerk posting in a government department for her son, demanding ₹5 lakh in exchange. Trusting Magre on account of their professional and personal ties, the complainant paid the sum in instalments between April and December 2014. According to police, she even mortgaged her jewellery to arrange the funds.
False Promises and Prolonged Delays
After collecting the payment, the accused allegedly stalled the appointment process repeatedly. On 10 December 2019, the complainant's son was directed to a Primary Health Centre in Khalapur for what was described as a mandatory medical examination. Upon arrival, the family found that several other candidates and their parents had been summoned for similar tests — a detail that later emerged as central to the wider scheme.
No appointment letters were ever issued. The accused reportedly cited administrative delays and, later, the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons for the continued postponements. As years passed without any outcome, the victims gradually realised they had been deceived.
Scale of the Fraud
Further investigation by the Azad Maidan Police revealed that six additional families had been ensnared in the same scheme, bringing the total number of victims to seven and the cumulative loss to ₹68.50 lakh. The scam reportedly spanned several years, exploiting the trust of families desperate for stable government employment for their children.
Police Action and Investigation
Acting on complaints filed by the victims, the Azad Maidan Police have recorded statements from all affected families and booked the two accused — Suryakant Nivrutti Magre and Yogesh Jagannath Patankar — under sections related to cheating and criminal breach of trust. Efforts to trace and arrest both individuals are currently under way.
This case is among a string of government-job fraud cases reported in Maharashtra in recent years, where accused individuals exploit the aspiration for secure public-sector employment and claim proximity to bureaucratic networks to extract large sums from vulnerable families.
Point of View
Using bureaucratic opacity as cover. The involvement of a retired healthcare worker who mortgaged jewellery underscores how deeply the promise of a sarkari naukri can override caution, even among educated, experienced individuals. Maharashtra's Mantralaya has repeatedly appeared in such fraud narratives, pointing to a systemic credibility gap — families cannot verify who actually works there or wields influence, making the institution an easy prop for fraudsters. Police and the state government have yet to establish a public verification mechanism for such claims.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mumbai government job scam involving ₹68.5 lakh?
Seven Mumbai families were allegedly cheated of a total ₹68.50 lakh by two men who claimed to have influential contacts at the Maharashtra Mantralaya and promised to secure government jobs for the victims' children. The scam reportedly began in 2014 and came to light after years of unfulfilled promises.
Who are the accused in the Azad Maidan Police fraud case?
The two accused are Suryakant Nivrutti Magre, a neighbour and colleague of the primary complainant who resided in GT Hospital staff quarters, and Yogesh Jagannath Patankar, who was claimed to be Magre's relative working at the Mantralaya. Both have been booked for cheating and criminal breach of trust.
Who are the victims and how much did they lose?
Seven families are listed as victims, with a combined loss of ₹68.50 lakh. The primary complainant is a retired Sister-in-Charge from GT Hospital, who paid ₹5 lakh — including funds raised by mortgaging her jewellery — for a promised Senior Clerk position for her son.
Why did victims not realise the fraud earlier?
The accused allegedly prolonged the deception through repeated administrative delay excuses and later cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for postponed appointments. A staged medical examination at a Primary Health Centre in Khalapur in December 2019 also temporarily lent the scheme an air of legitimacy.
What action has Mumbai Police taken?
The Azad Maidan Police have registered a fraud case, recorded statements from all seven victim families, and booked the two accused under sections related to cheating and criminal breach of trust. A search is currently under way to trace and arrest both individuals.
