700 Jobs, Vanished Overnight: The IT Startup That Left Pune's Freshers With Empty Accounts & Locked Door
700 Jobs, Vanished Overnight: The IT Startup That Left Pune's Freshers With Empty Accounts & Locked Door Published By, Edited By Last Updated: June 02
700 Jobs, Vanished Overnight: The IT Startup That Left Pune's Freshers With Empty Accounts & Locked Door Published By, Edited By Last Updated: June 02, 2026, 09:37 IST Interns paid Rs 15,000 as security deposit to join. It was never returned. One X user's advice: "If a company asks for any security deposit, stay away." Pune's Thynk Tech India Vanishes Overnight: Affected employees approached Pune Police on April 20. (AI image) In what is fast becoming one of Pune’s most alarming startup fraud cases, Thynk Tech India — an IT company operating out of Hinjawadi’s Garage Imperial Rise building — allegedly shut its offices overnight, leaving around 700 employees and interns without salaries, security deposits or answers. For many, it was their very first job. According to Pune Mirror, recruitment at the company began around mid-2025, with interns promised a monthly stipend of Rs 15,000. Payments were regular initially — enough to build trust among freshers and young professionals. Then February 2026 arrived, and the money stopped. Excuses, Deadlines, No Payment When salaries went unpaid, employees confronted the management. CEO and director Harshal Bhanudas Thakare reportedly cited an internal audit and assured staff that dues would be cleared by end-February.
The HR department backed this up over email. The deadline passed. New dates were given — March, then April 20, then April 29, then April 30. In one meeting, Thakare allegedly told employees he needed three more months to clear all pending dues. None of the deadlines were met. Bounced Cheques And A Suspicious Bank Call The situation worsened. Cheques issued to employees after performance evaluations reportedly bounced. On April 29, Thakare allegedly informed his bank that his cheques had been lost — a move employees say was designed to block them from depositing payments. Interns, meanwhile, had been made to pay Rs 15,000 as a security deposit when joining. That money, too, has not been returned, according to Pune Mirror. Who Is Bearing The Brunt? Many of those affected are freshers — young professionals who chose Thynk Tech as their entry point into Pune’s IT ecosystem. Beyond the employees, vendors, laptop rental agencies and the office landlord are also reportedly owed money. The human cost is not just financial: those affected speak of mounting mental stress and a shattered sense of trust in their earliest professional experience.
What Pune Is Saying The case has sparked anger online. “AI has started devouring jobs, lakhs will be wiped out in coming months. This is what the incompetent IT sector will undergo without any innovation," wrote one user on X. Another shared a personal account: “I worked for a company that did not even pay my travel bills to Pune. The CEO promised to pay many times. Pune is a city of thugs. I filed a police complaint with no progress." A third user pointed to a broader systemic failure, calling out labour body FITE Maharashtra for inaction: “So-called private businesses are freedom for criminals and corrupt people to exploit everything. There are many suffering like this but no one to address it." The bluntest advice came from another user: “If a company asks for any security deposit, stay away." Where Does It Stand Now? Affected employees approached Pune Police on April 20. A written complaint has also been filed with the Deputy Labour Commissioner. On May 1, Thakare reportedly gave a written assurance acknowledging pending dues and promising payment within three months.
Employees say they no longer believe him. The office remains shut. Police and labour department investigations are underway — but for 700 people waiting on rent, EMIs and basic expenses, the clock is ticking. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk Sumedha Kirti is a Chief Sub Editor with over eight years of experience — both at the desk and reporting. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Miranda House. Kirti has previously worked with news... Read More First Published: June 02, 2026, 09:37 IST News cities pune 700 Jobs, Vanished Overnight: The IT Startup That Left Pune's Freshers With Empty Accounts & Locked Door Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
The BriefWire