Sambalpur: Police arrested 11 persons for allegedly collecting money from unemployed youths on the plea of providing jobs in Sambalpur and Bargarh districts.

While seven persons were arrested in Sambalpur town, four were held in Bargarh, 55 km from here.

In Sambalpur, the police raided their office and seized Rs 74,000 and after verification returned the amount to the victims who had deposited it on an assurance of getting employment in their company.

The accused, who claimed to be officials of Glaz India Pvt. Limited, had invited applications for providing clerical jobs in the company.

They collected Rs 12,000 each from the applicants of Gajapati district and directed them to reach Sambalpur.

They had also promised to provide them accommodation and food, along with their regular pay of more than Rs 12,000, per month.

But after reaching here, the youths who had come from far-flung tribal dominated areas were asked to sell an medicinal product used for farming.

Finding no other alternative, the six victims filed a complaint at Dhanupali police station. The police led by the inspector-in-charge K.K. Panda swung into action, seized the amount and arrested seven persons.

The arrested persons were identified as Hara Mohan Sahu, Bandan Panigrahi, Tapas Jena, Rakesh Naik, Pramod Paika, Durjodhan Mullick and Biswajeet Jena, police said.

"When I refunded their money, the youths were happy and returned to their native villages," said Panda.

In a similar case, Bargarh police arrested four youths of the same company on the charges of collecting money on the plea of providing jobs.

Acting on a complaint filed by Rayagada resident Rajendra Behera, Bargarh police arrested Bipin Panda, Rabi Rana, Basanta Naik and Sibaram Dora.