Kota: Kota police have arrested the alleged mastermind of an inter-state employment racket accused of cheating more than 8,500 people out of nearly Rs 2 crore by promising work-from-home jobs, officials said. The accused, identified as Kumar Sanu alias Deepak Singh, was tracked down in Bihar after a prolonged investigation, digital surveillance and a search operation by a Special Investigation Team.He was produced in court on Tuesday and sent to 10-day police custody, Circle Inspector Ramesh Kaviya said.According to Kota City SP Tejaswini Gautam, the case began with a complaint filed on Nov 15, 2025, at Anantpura police station by Kuldeep Sharma and several other victims. They alleged that a man operating under the name Deepak Singh had opened a company called Oasis Enterprises and lured people with promises of home-based work.Police said the accused asked applicants to deposit Rs 2,500 as security for jobs such as preparing book kits from home. He allegedly targeted unemployed youth and women through newspaper advertisements offering work-from-home opportunities.Investigators said he also used a chain-marketing model, offering Rs 500 commission to people who recruited new members, allowing the scheme to spread quickly. Within months, he allegedly collected nearly Rs 2 crore from around 8,500 people before shutting down the office in Subhash Nagar, Kota, and fleeing.Given the scale of the fraud, Kota City Police formed a Special Investigation Team under the supervision of Additional SP Dilip Saini. The probe was led by Circle Officer Manish Sharma and Anantpura SHO Ramesh Kaviya, along with technical staff.Police said tracing the accused was difficult because he used fake Aadhaar cards and multiple identities to hide his real name. The Inspector General of Police, Kota Range, had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to his arrest.During the investigation, constable Farsaram analysed digital footprints and technical data, which helped police identify the accused as Kumar Sanu, a resident of Khagaria district in Bihar, who was allegedly using the alias Deepak Singh.Analysis suggested he carried out similar frauds in other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Police said he is also suspected in scams in Darbhanga in Bihar, Ranchi in Jharkhand, Durg in Chhattisgarh, Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Bikaner in Rajasthan and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.Acting on technical inputs, a police team led by inspector Ramesh Kaviya went to Bihar and carried out a search from Patna to Bhagalpur while maintaining surveillance. Police said digital tracking led them to Vaibhav Hotel in Naugachia in Bhagalpur district, where the accused was hiding with his wife.The team raided the hotel and arrested him. His wife was allowed to leave with family members.Police said they recovered Rs 1,88,500 in cash, a red Hyundai Aura car allegedly used in the fraud, and several fake Aadhaar and e-Shram cards.The accused was brought to Kota on transit remand and will be questioned about the remaining money and the possible role of other accomplices. Police said the investigation is continuing.
