Massive job scam: More than 4,500 youths duped in Malda

Malda: A major job scam has come to light in Malda, where nearly 4,500 unemployed youths have allegedly been cheated of over Rs 3 crore by a private nursing home authority. The accused, brother and sister duo, have been identified as Najiul Sheikh and Najima Khatun, who are associated with a private facility named Malda Mission Hospital located at Sujapur under the jurisdiction of Kaliachak Police Station.

According to complaints, the nursing home began advertising in January 2025 through various social media platforms, claiming that a new 400-bed hospital was set to open along the national highway. The advertisements promised around 4,500 vacancies across multiple posts, including nursing staff, Group D workers, technicians and security personnel.

Attracted by the prospect of employment, thousands of job seekers from different parts of West Bengal and even other states applied and were called for interviews.

During the process, candidates were allegedly told they would receive salaries higher than their expectations.

However, they were asked to pay amounts ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 18,000 for uniforms and training. Some were reportedly asked to pay additional sums—between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000—for early joining.

Gouri Mandal from the Bhutni area, one of the alleged victims, said she paid over Rs 10,000 in hope of securing a nursing job.

“They told me I would get a job there. I trusted them and gave more than ten thousand rupees from my family’s savings. It has been almost a year, and there is no job, no refund, and even repeated phone calls remained unattended by them,” she said. “When we went to ask for our money back, they didn’t respond.”

Several victims have alleged that despite waiting for months, and in some cases over a year, no appointment letters were issued. When groups of applicants approached the nursing home demanding refunds, they were allegedly denied entry and intimidated. The aggrieved youths further claimed that when they approached the local police to lodge complaints, they were not welcomed.

With no other option left, they have now submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate seeking intervention and a thorough investigation into the alleged multi-crore fraud.