Navi Mumbai: Panvel Court Acquits Man Accused of Job Fraud in Indian Railways Scam

Navi Mumbai, 4th January 2025: The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Panvel has acquitted Deepak Kumar Sinha (48), who was accused of deceiving 22 individuals with promises of jobs in the Indian Railways after the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The court noted that two key elements required to establish the charges of cheating—deception and inducement—were not sufficiently proven, leading to the defendant’s acquittal due to lack of evidence.

The case dates back to 2015, when Malappa Karappa Metti, a resident of Nerul, allegedly fell for Sinha’s fraudulent promises of securing a job as a ticket collector. Metti reported the fraud after discovering that the documents, including appointment letters and medical certificates, provided by Sinha were fake.

The incident began in January 2015 when Metti, who was preparing for a railway exam, met Sinha during a train ride from Thane to Nerul. Sinha, claiming to be a railway employee, assured Metti he could secure a job for him in exchange for payment. Sinha initially demanded ₹7 lakh, but Metti, trusting him, paid ₹50,000 along with personal documents.

Later, Sinha took Metti for a medical check-up at Kalyan Railway Hospital, where an accomplice, Tufel Ahmed Khan (currently absconding), facilitated the tests. Sinha even provided a forged medical certificate. Over several months, Sinha continued to demand more money, leading Metti and his brother to pay ₹2.5 lakh for an appointment letter and ₹3 lakh for a joining letter.

Metti was instructed to report to Ballia Station in Uttar Pradesh, but when he tried to contact Sinha, the latter became unreachable. After realizing he had been scammed, Metti sought a refund, but the two cheques Sinha issued for ₹1 lakh each bounced due to insufficient funds.

Further investigation revealed that Sinha and Khan had allegedly defrauded several individuals from Metti’s village in Karnataka, promising them various railway positions. The total amount swindled was reportedly ₹96.8 lakh.

Sinha’s defence lawyer, Advocate Mangesh Aarote, argued that the prosecution failed to present adequate evidence and did not gather relevant documents from the victims. The prosecution also failed to examine all the victims or apprehend the other accused, creating significant gaps in the case. As a result, the court acquitted Sinha of all charges related to cheating.