A Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader named Sachitha Rai has duped more than a dozen job seekers to the tune of ₹2 crores in the Kasaragod district of Kerala. DYFI is the youth wing of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist).
A teacher at a government-aided lower primary school, the CPIM leader carried out an elaborate scam between January 2023 and February 2024 to earn the trust of jobseekers amid high unemployment in the State.
She would write postcards, impersonating as interviewer from government entities, to prospective jobseekers who were known to her. The postcard would be delivered on the day the alleged interview would be scheduled, ensuring that the candidates would miss the interview.
The mouds operandi
Sachitha Rai would then step-in and calm the panicked jobseekers. She would then solicit money to the tune of several lakh rupees while promising for a second interview. But those interviews would never materialise.
The government entities that were impersonated by the CPIM leader included Kendriya Vidyalayas, the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI).
Sachitha Rai initially preyed upon 4 of her batchmates, who studied Diploma in Education (DEd) at the District Institute for Education and Training (DIET) between 2014 and 2016. She siphoned off ₹25.21 lakhs from them with the assurance of landing them a governemnt job.
Aaccording to one victim, Sachitha Rai approached 30 of her batchmates and juniors with the promise of offering them jobs. She was successful in entrapping 7 people. It was only her who intiated contact and lured desperate jobseekers.
Duping innocent people including her batchmates
The CPIM leader also duped a woman named Nishmitha Shetty to the tune of ₹15.06 lakhs between May-August 2023.
Forced by circumstances, Nishmitha filed a police complaint for cheating and a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against Sachitha on 6th October this year. It was only then that the CPIM leader’s four batchmates learnt about the tragedy that had befallen them.
Sachitha Rai worked closely with a tout named Chandrasekhar Kuntar. The fake postcards of interview calls bore his signature and were posted from Kasaragod.
When one victim, who suffered medical complications during childbirth, demanded the return of her money on not landing a job, the CPIM leader claimed that her tout ‘disappeared with all the money’.
Husband of Sachitha Rai plays victim card
That victim has so far recovered ₹5.70 lakhs from Sachitha’s husband Jibin. The CPIM leader also defrauded her own party member named Malesh BS to the tune of ₹1 lakh but the amount is not significant as compared to the others she had defrauded.
Her husband claims that she is innocent and that Sachitha did not know it was illegal to collect money in exchange for jobs. I think the BJP is behind these complaints,” he says.
People who suffered from the scam of CPIM leader
A list of people (know so far) duped and the total amount siphoned of by the CPIM leader –
- Ramisath K (name changed) – ₹5 lakhs
- Akshaya N (name changed)- ₹5 lakhs
- Amitha K (name changed) – ₹15.41 lakhs (recovered ₹5.75 lakhs)
- Nishmitha Shetty – ₹15.06 lakhs
- Nadiya Fathima (name changed) – ₹1.4 lakh
- Mokshith Shetty – ₹1 lakh
- Malesh B S – ₹1 lakh
- Kumari Supritha (name changed) – ₹7.32 lakhs
- Shruthi (name changed) – ₹2.5 lakhs
- Rashmika (name changed) – ₹13.12 lakhs
According to the police, all victims paid Sachitha via bank transfers and UPI. They estimate that she has collected over ₹2 crores so far from desperate jobseekers.
A Station House Officer told Onmanorama News, “We haven’t summoned her for questioning yet as she is seeking anticipatory bail from the High Court after the Sessions Court rejected her petition. Once the High Court makes a decision, we will call her in.”
CPIM resorts to face saving
After facing the wrath of the public, the local leadership expelled her from the party. To further save facr, the CPIM Kumbla Area Committee also alleged that Sachitha has ties with the Karnataka BJP. DYFI also removed her from the youth wing.
Sachitha has now sought ‘anticipatory bail’, which was rejected by the Kasaragod Sessions Court on 16th October this year. The police are yet to question her and are waiting for the bail application to be resolved.
Unemployment in Kerala is on the rise and Sachitha sought to exploit in the the State, where her party is in power.
