Kargil War martyr’s wife arrested in job fraud case

Siliguri: The wife of a Kargil War martyr has been arrested for allegedly defrauding a man of Rs 12.7 lakh under the pretext of securing him a job overseas.

The accused, identified as Bijayata Mukhiya (45), is the wife of Kargil War martyr Arun Kumar Rai and a resident of Jorebungalow in Darjeeling. She was apprehended following a two-year-long manhunt.

The case came to light on February 25, 2023, when Anil Lama, a resident of Siliguri, lodged a complaint at Pradhan Nagar Police Station, accusing Mukhiya of fraud.

Lama alleged that Mukhiya, who was associated with a job consultancy agency in Matigara area, promised him employment in Israel and took the money from him. However, the job never materialised, and when Lama confronted her, Mukhiya allegedly disappeared.

During the investigation, police discovered that Mukhiya is the widow of Arun Kumar Rai, a martyr of the 1999 Kargil War. A special team from Pradhan Nagar Police Station, acting on confidential information, tracked her down in Darjeeling and arrested her on Saturday night and transported to Siliguri. On Sunday, she was presented in court for further investigation.