Army recruitment scam busted, ex-armyman among 18 arrested

THANE/NEW DELHI/PANAJI: The Thane police on Sunday claimed to have busted an army recruitment racket, following leak of question papers of an examination conducted by the Army Recruitment Board.

Eighteen suspects, including a retired serviceman and a paramilitary personnel, were held during raids in Maharashtra and Goa since Saturday midnight.

Army sources said tests were cancelled at examination centres, including in Kamptee, Nagpur, Ahmednagar, Ahmedabad, Goa and Kirkee.

The examinations were held for several posts, including those of soldier clerk, strongman and soldier tradesman, at 52 centres across India.

Sources said the army has ordered an internal enquiry and further action will be taken

THANE POLICE HAD RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT SOME STUDENTS WERE TO BE GIVEN THE QUESTION PAPERS IN ADVANCE FOR A PRICE

based on the findings. Tests were likely to be “countermanded” in more centres. Joint commissioner of Thane police Ashutosh Dumbare said 350 students ,who possessed question papers, were also detained for questioning.

Among those arrested, nine were from Pune, six from Nagpur and three from Goa, he said.

Of the detained candidates, 79 are from Pune, 222 from Nagpur and 49 from Goa.

The Thane police had received information a couple of days ago from an institute that conducts coaching classes for army job aspirants that some city students were to be given the question papers in advance for a price.

Around 80 officials of the Thane city police laid a trap and caught the students and middlemen with the copies of question papers, the officer said.

The middlemen had also arranged for fake domicile and residence proof for students hailing from other places so as to enable them appear for the exams in that zone.

The beneficiary was to pay around ₹4-₹5 lakh to the middlemen, said Dumbare.

The police suspect that the papers were leaked either from the press where it was printed or from the distribution centres.

DCP crime Parag Manere said the papers were leaked to aspirants through Whatsapp.

Following the tip-off, Thane police conducted raids in Nashik, Pune, Nagpur and Goa.