Gang providing proxy runners to job aspirants busted

AGRA: The Agra police busted a gang involved in providing proxy runners to aspirants participating in army and police recruitment drives.

While three gang members were nabbed on Thursday, 10 ‘Munnabhais’ who were found running for candidates during races in police recruitment drive at Police Lines ground were arrested over the past one week. The gang allegedly used to charge `50,000 for providing runners to the applicants. “We had been tracing such ‘munnabhais’ who were appearing for the original candidates. Till now, we have arrested 10 such runners who were here to appear for candidates,” stated SP (traffic), RK Singh, nodal officer for recruitment, while addressing a press conference on Thursday.

“The recruitment drive began on Wednesday at 05.30 am and irregularities came to fore. A candidate, Om Prakash Singh from Aligarh had sent Devendra Singh to run in his place. Another candidate Arvind Atri sent Ajay Kumar to run in his place. During verification both Devendra and Ajay were arrested,” informed the nodal officer.

The two were interrogated and it was found that they were sent here for running in place of original candidates by one Pradeep and Ramu who had charged `50,000 for each candidate.

Later, it was found to be a handiwork of an organised gang involved in providing proxy runners during recruitment drives of police and army, added Singh. “On Thursday morning, Pradeep and Ramu along with gang leader Satish were arrested by the crime branch, surveillance team and Nai Ki Mandi police from a location near the education office in Agra,” said the nodal officer. It was found that Pradeep of Mathura, who was terminated from Chattisgarh police service, had himself been a proxy runner 20 times in various recruitment drives before joining the police in Chhattisgarh.