Isro fake job case: Suspect in police custody

Shraddha Mohanty took Rs 3,000 from each of the 84 job aspirants

 The e-mails tracked by the cyber cell of City police has led to the arrest of an engineering student and her friend on the charge of duping students by promising them jobs in Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

Shraddha Shashwathi Mohanty, 23,  (in pic) daughter of a lecturer at an engineering college in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, was arrested in Bhubaneshwar on February 28.

She was brought to the City on a transit warrant and has been remanded in police custody by a local court. Mohanty had allegedly collected Rs 3,000 each from 84 students promising them job as research assistants with Isro.

According to police, in November last year, Mohanty approached the Isro authorities in the City claiming that she had been appointed a junior scientist at the organisation. She produced an ‘appointment order’ received through e-mail.

When the Isro authorities denied any such appointment, Mohanty lodged a complaint against Isro at Sanjaynagar police station. Within days, several engineering graduates approached Isro, claiming that they have been appointed by the space agency.

A majority of such candidates were found to be from Maharashtra and Odisha, and all of them had produced appointment orders they had received through e-mail. A careful scrutiny disclosed that the appointment orders were fake. The Isro authorities lodged a complaint with Sanjaynagar police, last October.

Cyber cell

Deputy Commissioner of Police, (North) S N Siddramappa told Deccan Herald that with the help of cyber cell, they were able to track the IP address of the computer from which the e-mails were sent.

“The system was traced to Bhubaneshwar and further investigation established the involvement of Mohanty, who posed herself as a whistle blower from the beginning,” Siddramappa said. Police said Mohanty launched a website claiming herself to be a junior scientist with Isro and inviting applications from students for training and subsequent appointment with the agency.

The students submitted their applications and deposited the money in a bank account as instructed on the website.

Mohanty, who created an e-mail ID and fabricated letterheads and seals of Isro, mailed appointment orders to the students. She even mailed such an order to herself.

Investigations have revealed that Mohanty had attended an examination for appointment at Isro in July 2012.