Fake SBI Branch in Chhattisgarh Dupes Villagers of Lakhs with False Job Offers, Main Accused Escape

Pintu Dhurve, a 25-year-old, proudly reported to his new cashier job at a newly opened "State Bank of India ( SBI )" branch in Chhapora village, Chhattisgarh however just ten days later, the branch was raided by real SBI officials and police, revealing it to be a scam.

Chhapora, located 250 kilometers from Raipur, was taken by surprise when a new " SBI branch" popped up overnight on September 18. It featured everything from cash counters to paperwork that tried to appear as a legitimate bank, successfully deceiving both villagers and employees. Villagers were encouraged to open accounts, while locals like Pintu were convinced, they'd secured stable jobs.

However, authorities became suspicious of the sudden appearance and limited activity at the branch. Upon inspection, they found that it lacked critical banking infrastructure. One employee revealed he paid Rs 5.80 lakh for the cashier position, receiving a fake offer letter promising a monthly salary of Rs 25,000 to 30,000.

The scam, organized by the main accused, Pankaj, extorted between Rs 12 to 13 lakh from job seekers under false pretenses. Police and cyber cell teams are actively searching for him, while two accomplices, Rekha Sahu and Mandir Das, have been identified. The ringleader provided fake documents, trained recruits, and demanded hefty sums from employees who had passed the IBPS exam.

Fortunately, no villagers were duped into opening accounts as many were turned away for various reasons, preventing further losses. Authorities raided the branch on September 27 after suspicious locals alerted the police.