Mumbai: A couple from Mumbai is allegedly at the forefront of a fraud that has its origins in a Snow White laundry in the United Kingdom.
A complaint against them was filed by Philomina Brazz, owner of a recruitment agency in Malad. The Rawals approached the recruitment agency saying they needed Indian employees for Snow White Inc, a laundry in the UK.
The agency in India then invited applications, with each applicant paying Rs 88,000 for the recruitment process.
After 188 applicants had paid, the Rawals allegedly decamped with the Rs 1.5 crore they had collected.
Brazz named Uday Rawal and his wife Priti for betraying her trust and duping the jobseekers. She has also named a person Farhad Bhanwadia, who was interacting with her as the human resources department head of Snow White Inc in the UK.
Brazz said she knew the Rawals for last two years, as she had assisted them in getting a Schengen visa. A few months later, they approached her with a proposal to arrange for candidates for Snow White Inc.
From November 2009 to April 2010, Brazz got 188 applicants, who had to issue a draft in favour of the company for £1,000.
It was only when the company started dilly-dallying on visa and air tickets that the candidates and Brazz became suspicious. By then the Rawals had also left their rented flat in Kandivli.
Navin Gonsalves, a victim from Andheri (E), said, "I was promised a job as a manager in Snow White Inc for a stipend of £900 for three months. They sent an offer letter but I haven't got the job."
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy said, "We have started our preliminary inquiry against the Rawals."