Kochi: The Ernakulam Central Police have arrested a woman on charges of defrauding job seekers of crores of rupees by promising employment opportunities abroad.

Karthika Pradeep, a native of Pathanamthitta currently residing in Thrissur, was the CEO of Take Off Overseas Educational Consultancy. She also claimed to be a doctor in Ukraine to gain the trust of her clients. She was taken into custody from Kozhikode following a complaint filed by a resident of Thrissur. The case has since triggered a wider investigation, with similar complaints registered at police stations in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur, and Kozhikode districts.

According to police, over 100 candidates were duped by the consultancy, which promised jobs in countries such as Germany and the UK. Victims reportedly paid between ₹3 lakh to ₹8 lakh, along with submitting documents, but never received the promised placements. In Kochi alone, the firm is believed to have collected around ₹3 lakh from multiple individuals.

After the case was registered, the consultancy’s office in Kochi was shut down, and the company reportedly declared bankruptcy. Authorities later found that the firm had been operating without a valid license.