Kochi: The owner of a recruitment agency in Kochi has been arrested in connection with a case of fraud involving Rs 5.23 lakh, allegedly collected on the promise of a job in the UK. Karthika, who runs Take Off Overseas Educational Consultancy near Pullepady here, was taken into custody by the police from Kozhikode. Originally from Pathanamthitta, she is currently residing in Thrissur.

The complaint was filed by a young woman from Thrissur. The accused allegedly promised her a job as a social worker in the UK and collected Rs 5.23 lakh from her in multiple instalments. The transactions were made between August 26 and December 14, 2024 through bank transfers and online payments.

In addition to Ernakulam, complaints have also been filed against the consultancy at police stations in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts. The Protector of Emigrants, under the Ministry of External Affairs, has confirmed that the agency does not possess the required licence to recruit candidates for jobs abroad.