With an impressively decorated office, an attractive web page plus other accoutrements to attract gullible people, Sunlight Group advertised in all major papers of the country, enticing job seekers with prosperous careers.
But the main business was to take money from employment seekers and disappear.
On 11 July, Organised Crime Unit of the CID has arrested 13 persons of this elaborate swindling operation.
Victims have said that after going to the well decorated office, it was difficult for job seekers to see through the subterfuge.
CID officials say: “after carrying out a successful con operation the members went into hiding and then reappeared with a new approach, opening a plush office under the name: Max vision group of companies.”
During questioning, mastermind of the job deception syndicate, Adnan Talukder, alias Al Amin, said that after being hoodwinked by another company, he decided to take deception as his livelihood with four other members.
One member of the group opened a bank account while others used to give adverts in papers.
CID additional super, Mohammad Minhajul Islam, told Bangla Tribune: “there is an unknown financier of this syndicate; we are trying to trace that person.”
Several victims have complained that promising to give jobs, the group took money in some form or the other and then, wound up all operation.
It’s believed that in recent times, Sunlight defrauded about 17 persons, taking away Tk. 52 lakh 42 thousand.
One victim, who was given the post of DMD at Sunlight, said: “after I was interviewed, they gave me the job and asked me to give Tk. 3 lakh for the company’s pension scheme, which they promised would become double in five years.”
Later, the victim submitted 2.5 lakh and took the appointment letter. However, when he went to the office, the company had vanished.
CID officials inform that the syndicate hoodwinked countless people and took their money under the names, Keya Group of Companies, Nexus Group, Eastern Group, Max vision and Rexon Group.
Another victim, Abdul Mannan, told Bangla Tribune: “I was given an exalted post; promised a luxury company car worth Tk34 lakh; in return, they asked Tk. 5 lakh as security deposit and one third of the price of the car.”
After paying a total of Tk. 12 lakh 50 thousand, they gave me two receipts and when the company car did not come to pick me up on 5 May, I went and found a locked office, added the cheated man.
CID, Organised Crime Unit’s special superintendent, Molla Nazrul Islam, told Bangla Tribune: “this group had been fleecing people since 2013 and gave adverts in papers targeting retired government and private service holders.”
Seven cases have been lodged against the group in Ramna, Paltan and Gulshan thanas with a money laundering case under process.