3 members of fake Territorial Army recruitment arrested

Three suspected members of a fake Territorial Army recruitment racket were arrested, police said today.

The three accused were identified as Amit Kumar alias Amit Fauji (31), Suni Kumar alias Jogi (32), and Devender (39), they said.

A specific information was received in the Crime Branch that members of a racket involved in fake recruitment in Territorial Army were active in Delhi and Haryana.

They were engaged in cheating unemployed youngsters from Haryana on the pretext of getting them recruited in the Territorial Army.

The gang members used to conduct fake physical tests in the Delhi Cantonment and subsequently got fake medical tests done in hospital and interviews and even issued fake appointment and joining letters, the police said.

A written complaint was received from one of the victims, Sudheer (21) on May 1. Subsequently, two other victims approached the Crime Branch with complaints.

Sudheer told police that sometime in June-July last year one Sunil Jogi of his village had introduced him to one Pradeep, who induced him by offering employment in the Territorial Army and demanded Rs 5 lakh.

Since the victim was qualified and unemployed, he was trapped in the offer made by Pradeep and gave the money on various pretexts.

The victim was handed a joining letter on August 18 last year. Later, the alleged fake joining letter was taken back from the complainant on the pretext of providing joining in Bangalore, instead of Delhi.

The complainant, along with a relative and another victim, went to Bangalore on October 11 last year to join his duty.

However, on reaching Bangalore no one came to receive the complainant and when he tried to contact Pradeep, his phone was switched off, said G Ram Gopal Naik, deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime).

The two other victims -- Tilak Raj, and Suraj, also corroborated similar allegations against this gang, and confirmed that each of them was cheated of Rs 3 lakh.

Subsequently, the three accused were arrested.