The Mahim Police have arrested a key wanted accused in a job fraud case in which a retired railway officer was allegedly cheated of ₹17 lakh on the false promise of securing a job for his son in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
The arrested accused has been identified as Narendra Manguruji Maundekar. He had been absconding since the registration of the offence and was finally apprehended from Gujarat after nearly ten months of sustained efforts by the police. He is currently in police custody, and officials believe further investigation may reveal more cases of job-related fraud.
According to police, 64-year-old complainant Jayprakash Tamore, a resident of Mahim and a retired employee of Indian Railways, was introduced to co-accused Sandeep Dadu Jadhav through his son-in-law Sachin, who resides in Kolhapur. Over time, they developed family ties.
In May 2016, Sandeep Jadhav allegedly told Tamore that he was working with ONGC and that Narendra and Yashoda Maundekar were senior officials in the organisation. He claimed that the duo had helped several unemployed youths secure jobs in ONGC and could arrange a job for Tamore’s son as well.
Following this assurance, Tamore visited the residence of Narendra and Yashoda Maundekar in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where detailed discussions regarding the job offer took place. The accused allegedly demanded ₹20 lakh for securing a permanent position in ONGC. After negotiations, the deal was finalised at ₹17 lakh.
Between October 2 and October 10, 2016, Tamore reportedly paid ₹17 lakh in instalments. During this period, his son was called for a medical examination and was assured that he would soon receive an appointment letter. The accused also issued a cheque to Tamore, promising a refund if the job did not materialise.
However, the promised job was never provided. When questioned, the accused allegedly avoided Tamore by giving various excuses. Between 2016 and 2020, Tamore continued to follow up regarding his son’s employment.
Eventually, when there was no response, Tamore deposited the cheque issued by the accused, but it was dishonoured by the bank. Even after nine years, neither was the job provided nor was the ₹17 lakh returned.
Subsequently, Tamore lodged a complaint at Mahim Police Station against Sandeep Jadhav, Narendra Maundekar and Yashoda Maundekar. Based on the complaint, police registered a case in May 2025 for cheating and criminal breach of trust.
Soon after the FIR was registered, the accused went into hiding. During an ongoing manhunt, police traced and detained Narendra Maundekar from Gujarat. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to cheating Tamore on the pretext of offering a job in ONGC.
He was brought to Mumbai and produced before a court, which remanded him to police custody. Police suspect that Narendra and Yashoda Maundekar may have duped several others using a similar modus operandi. Further investigation is underway, and officials believe additional cases of job fraud may come to light.