Kottayam (Kerala) | A man was arrested for allegedly cheating several people by promising government jobs while using the name of Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani and claiming to have close links with him, police said on Saturday.

The arrested accused was identified as A J Joseph, a native of Kuravilangad here.

The arrest followed a complaint lodged by a resident of Brahmamangalam near Thalayolaparamba.

According to the police, Joseph introduced himself as a government employee and claimed that he was working at the Kerala government's Science City project in Kuravilangad.

Claiming to be a close associate of Mani, he promised to secure a permanent job for the complainant's son at Science City.

Police said Joseph demanded Rs 10 lakh for arranging the job, asking the complainant to pay Rs nine lakh in advance and the remaining Rs one lakh after the appointment.

Believing his claims, the complainant allegedly paid Rs nine lakh on various occasions between 2025 and 2026. However, the promised job never materialised, prompting him to approach the police, officials said.

Based on the complaint, Thalayolaparamba police registered a case and arrested Joseph on Friday night after tracing him following several days of investigation.

The probe revealed that the accused had allegedly cheated several other people in Kottayam district by making similar claims and promising government jobs, police said.

Police expect more victims to come forward following Joseph's arrest.