A significant IT recruitment fraud has emerged from Pune’s Hinjawadi, where numerous engineering graduates, freshers, and interns have reportedly been deceived by Thynk Technology India. The company allegedly promised employment, stipends, and permanent positions to over 700 recruits, only to abruptly cease operations without notice. The CEO, Harshal Thakare, has been arrested, while efforts continue to locate other implicated individuals.

According to Senior Inspector Balaji Pandhare from Hinjawadi Police Station, Thakare is believed to have orchestrated a meticulously designed scheme that involved distributing employees across multiple small office setups. Instead of operating from a larger office, he maintained various teams at different locations to obscure the actual size of the company’s operations.

The police investigation commenced following complaints from employees left without jobs when Thynk Technology India suddenly halted its activities. The company was active in Hinjawadi Phase II and had conducted extensive recruitment events throughout Maharashtra earlier in 2025.

Details of the Recruitment Practices and Employee Experiences

During the inquiry, Thakare allegedly informed investigators that his company was handling 12 distinct projects, each supported by a team of at least 50 individuals. To date, around 80 former employees have lodged formal complaints, prompting police to file charges against Thakare under specific sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The situation escalated when Thakare reportedly fled to Nashik and deactivated his mobile phone after the allegations were reported. Media coverage of the case eventually led him to contact Pavanjeet Mane, president of the Forum for IT Employees (FITE), issuing a threat of legal action. This led to his capture by the Hinjawadi police, who managed to trace him through Mane’s shared phone number.

Authorities are currently looking for Soumya Singh, the HR executive, and Dhruvil Parekh, the manager, as both remain unreachable. During the investigation, Thakare claimed they had left the company prior to the controversy gaining public attention.

Financial Irregularities and Other Allegations

Investigators have uncovered that Thynk Technology India had seemingly established links with several prestigious engineering and IT institutions in Pune. During campus recruitment events, students were given attractive job offers, which included two months of training followed by a six-month internship with a stipend of Rs 15,000. There were also assurances that high achievers would be transitioned into permanent roles after one year.

Complainants, including Saurav Nair, recounted experiences of being misled after receiving campus placements that did not materialise into permanent positions. Nair stated he underwent two months of online training, only to be left waiting indefinitely for further instructions, realising by April 2026 that he had been misled.

Another victim, Vijayalakshmi Biradar, indicated that the recruitment process involved collecting funds from various candidates through a platform called “Udaan”. She claimed the company misrepresented itself as being affiliated with various government initiatives during recruitment drives, while educational institutions now appear reluctant to assume any accountability for the placements.

Moreover, investigators are scrutinising deposits that interns allegedly made for laptops—approximately Rs 15,000 each. Preliminary findings suggest that these laptops, supplied by external vendors, did not officially belong to the company. One vendor has already lodged a complaint regarding losses estimated at Rs 8.5 lakh.

In light of these developments, the police have confirmed the arrest of CEO Harshal Thakare, while investigations are ongoing to ascertain the involvement of additional individuals in this alleged fraudulent operation. Senior Inspector Pandhare remarked on the necessity of expanding inquiries into the case and potential repercussions for any other involved parties.

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