Purnia: In a shocking revelation from Bihar’s Purnia district, a fake police station was found to be operating inside a government school for nearly four months, duping over 300 people of more than ₹50 lakh in the name of government job recruitment.
The alleged mastermind, Rahul Sah, posed as a Station House Officer (SHO) and set up a bogus police station in Madhya Vidyalaya Baitona, located in Kasba block, where he ran a full-fledged recruitment racket under the guise of enlisting candidates for Gram Raksha Dal and Home Guard positions.
Rahul, reportedly a former NCC (National Cadet Corps) cadre, recruited youth from across the region, luring them with promises of government jobs before the upcoming assembly elections. Several of his gang members were also ex-NCC cadets.
Fake Recruitment with Uniforms, IDs, and Batons
Rahul allegedly recruited 100 fake candidates and extorted ₹15,000–₹20,000 from each, promising salaries up to ₹22,000 per month. He even issued uniforms, identity cards, and police batons to lend credibility to the sham operation. A training program was also conducted for 45 shortlisted candidates, which included both boys and girls, within the school premises.
The fake police station functioned like a real one, complete with three designated rooms, a police jeep marked “Kasba Thana”, and a team of 5–6 fake constables, including two women. Rahul and his fake force conducted night patrolling, vehicle checks, and liquor consignment seizures in nearby areas like Farkiya Chowk, Gandhi Bridge, and local markets — further legitimizing the operation in the eyes of villagers.
Victims Speak Out
“I worked there for two months and didn’t receive any salary,” said one of the duped candidates, Naveed Akhtar, whose father Javed Akhtar revealed that Rahul had even collected lakhs from local residents for allowing patrolling and vehicle checks.
A female victim, who knew Rahul from her NCC days, said,
“He acted like a real sub-inspector, took money from over 300 people, and issued ID cards. I trusted him like a brother.”
Another woman added,
“My mother also worked at the fake station for two months. She was given a stitched uniform and was promised a job. None of us were ever paid.”
Operation Vanishes Overnight
The scam came to light after Rahul abruptly fled the area four days ago, vacating the fake police station overnight, leaving behind empty rooms now being used by stray cattle and goats. The mass exodus followed rumors of impending police action.
The victims, after failing to receive salaries, confronted Rahul at his residence, but were met with abuse from his family. That confrontation is believed to have prompted Rahul’s escape.
Police Action Underway
Kasba police station in-charge Ajay Kumar Ajnabee confirmed that a written complaint was received four days ago and an investigation was launched. “Rahul has fled to West Bengal. Raids are being conducted to arrest him,” he said.
Further investigations revealed that Rahul had created a WhatsApp group named ‘Gramin Raksha Dal Mohini’, through which he managed recruitment and training coordination. Victims were mostly from Kasba, Purnia town, Gandhi Nagar, Khushkibaag, and nearby villages.
Questions on Administrative Oversight
The incident has raised serious questions about the lack of monitoring at the school premises and administrative lapses, as the fake police station operated uninterrupted for months — despite daily activity resembling that of an official law enforcement unit.
Local residents and victims have now demanded strict action against Rahul and his accomplices, and compensation for the duped candidates, many of whom had invested their life savings in hopes of securing a stable government job.
