Mumbai, Oct. 11 -- A 35-year-old man from Solapur was arrested on Friday for allegedly posing as an Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer posted as the deputy secretary in Staff Selection Committee of the Central government, and duping 36 villagers from Dharashiv of Rs.2.88 crore by promising them jobs in the Income Tax department. According to the police, the incident dates back to 2023 when the complainant Santosh Kharpude, a resident of Navi Mumbai, visited his niece in Dharashiv and learnt that several people from the village were going to meet Rathod and pay the advance for jobs. "Kharpude paid Rs.4 lakh advance for securing an assistant-level job for his niece. Rathod accepted a total of Rs.2.88 crore from 36 youths from Dharashiv and gave appointment letters to them and also asked to get their medical test done and submit the health certificates to him," the officer said, adding that he had met the aspirants in a hotel in Andheri East. With no response from Rathod thereafter, they approached the Income Tax department and learnt they have been cheated. After Rathod failed to return the money, Kharpude approached the Sahar police against Rathod on Septemebr 29, after which he was arrested on Friday....