BASURI DESAI
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PANJIM: The harrowing experience of two deported Goan youth who were scammed into paying lakhs for legitimate US jobs but were forced to attempt entering America via an illegal route has blown the lid off fraudulent overseas recruitment agencies operating without proper registration, in Goa.
Victims have recounted distressing experiences, claiming they were misled by agents posing as legitimate consultants with many suggesting these agents operate with apparent protection from local police.
One victim, Sahil Vernekar, a young job aspirant from Verna, described how he was allegedly coerced into signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in front of police at the Panjim police station after paying Rs 14 lakh for an overseas job opportunity.
“I was forced to sign an MoU to recover Rs 10 lakh of the Rs 14 lakh I had paid, under pressure from the police present,” Vernekar told Herald. “My remaining Rs 4 lakh and my passport are still being held by the agent.”
Vernekar revealed that his passport had been in the possession of a well-known Panjim-based agent for the past three years. “Now, the agent demands that I sign another MoU to get my passport back, but that I will lose my remaining Rs 4 lakh if I do,” he explained.
Vernekar’s father, Sandip, claimed that their family faced intimidation tactics, including a false complaint filed against him at the Women’s Police Station in Panjim by one of the agent’s employees.
“The complainant was unable to present any grievance,” Sandip said. Additionally, Vernekar alleged the agent used his supposed connections with a senior Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) to intimidate victims.
In a separate case, Mayur Devidas from Quepem was caught at Mexico Airport and deported after being provided with fraudulent documents by Stanley George, a notorious Vasco-based agent, who faces an FIR after the two youths deported from the US last weekend lodged a police complaint. However, Devidas’s experience has been very different. “I went to Vasco police station to file a complaint, but they refused to help,” he said. George is currently on the run.
“This police indifference erodes public trust in the system,” he added. “We paid for jobs abroad, not to commit a crime. We are jobless here and when even the police don’t act, what else can we do?”
Devidas was promised a job on a ship, but after arriving in Mexico, he discovered he had been scammed. Another victim from South Goa, Myron, corroborated that George had defrauded multiple individuals in Goa with similar promises.
A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed suspicions that local police may be complicit in the scam. “Police stations are reportedly being used to settle cases in favour of these agents,” the officer stated. “This is a multi-crore scam operating right in the heart of Goan cities. It’s unclear whether the department is aware of this syndicate.”
Experts are urging tighter regulation of overseas recruitment agencies. Former Superintendent of Police Bossuet Silva stated that these agencies must be approved by the Protector General of Emigrants to operate legally in India. He added that Goa’s regional office for emigrant regulation is based in Bangalore.
Alok Kumar, DGP of Goa Police, assured that both cases would be investigated. “We will definitely look into these allegations and complaints,” Kumar said. Regarding the Vasco police station complaint, he stated that the complainant had not submitted a written complaint and appeared to be influenced by others. “We will contact him again as you have brought this to my attention,” the DGP added.
Concerning the Panjim police episode, he emphasised, “A police station is not a place for settling such matters. If we receive a formal complaint, we will thoroughly investigate.”
