KOLHAPUR: Shiorl police have registered a case against five suspects for allegedly cheating 25 youths to the tune of Rs 49 lakh by promising them government jobs.The youths were cheated between February and August, police said, adding that a search has been launched for the suspects.Anil Maruti Mane , a resident of Agar in Shirol , and 24 other youths have approached police.According to police, the main suspect is an estate agent. He got in touch with Mane and pretended to be a secretary with the state health department and said he can get jobs for youths.An unsuspecting Mane fell into the trap and expressed his willingness to pay them for getting a government job. Emboldened by this, the main suspect, along with four of his associates, decided to rope in more youths.The suspects met the youths they were familiar with and told them that they would have to pay Rs 7 lakh in two instalments for jobs in the health department."Around 50 youths agreed to pay money in two instalments. They paid the first instalment of Rs 2 lakh each to the five suspects. The youths were told that their documents would be prepared and tabled to the state government during the monsoon session of the assembly," said a an officer attached to the Shirol police station.The officer said the suspects told their victims that they would receive joining letters on their postal addresses after the monsoon session ends. The suspects told the youths to pay the remaining amount after joining the health department.The youths were waiting for call letters but none of them received any. They found the suspects' mobile phones switched off when they tried to contact them.Realising that they had been cheated, the youths rushed to police and lodged a complaint.Based on their complaint, we have registered a case against the five suspects under several sections of the Indian Penal Code , including sections 420 (cheating)."We suspect that some more youths may have been cheated by the gang and appeal to people to come forward and lodge complaints," said the officer.

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