THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police have intensified the investigation to find the accused who swindled Rs 35 lakh by making fake letters in the name of PSC offering jobs in various departments. The investigation team received information that the accused are in the Palakkad region. The search is on for Adoor native R Rajalakshmi and Thrissur Amballur native Rashmi. As the accused are likely to leave the state, the investigation has been extended to other states as well. The Medical College police had issued a lookout notice for the accused the other day.

The police concluded that the accused may have gone into hiding on the same day when two candidates appeared at the PSC office in Pattom with fake letters. The investigation team is identifying more victims of the fraud and collecting information. Many of them were not aware of the PSC exam procedures or the government jobs that were offered. The accused extorted 2 to 4.5 lakh rupees by offering them jobs in non-existent posts in the Vigilance, Income Tax, and GST departments.

The fraud came to light when two candidates came to the PSC office on Monday with a notification that they had to appear for the certificate verification as part of getting a job through PSC. What they had with them were documents prepared on fake letter pads of PSC. The old emblem of PSC was used in the letter. Upon seeing this, the authorities realized that the letter was fake. PSC does not issue notification for certificate verification by letter. PSC vigilance questioned the candidates after finding out that it was a fraud. They said that it was a woman whom they called "madam" who offered them jobs. Following this, the PSC lodged a complaint with the police.