Army deserter duping people with job offer held by UP STF

An Army deserter allegedly duping people with job offers in defence services while posing as a junior commissioned officer has been arrested here by the Uttar Pradesh police.

Deserter Alok Kumar Awasthi, a resident of Unnao, was nabbed Saturday by the Special Task Force sleuths from the Circuit House area in the city, STF officials said Sunday.

Awasthi had allegedly deserted Army from the place of his last posting in Darjeeling in June 2013, said STF officials.

The sleuths also seized from Awasthi his Army identity card, issued in january 2010, besides his Army canteen card, some cash and cheque books and a car, allegedly bought from his ill-gotten money, said officials.

The deserter used to impress people with his Army ID card and canteen smart card and by buying subsidised items for them from Army canteens, the STF said in a statement.

During interrogation, Awasthi confessed to have duped over 150 people from various states, including Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, of huge money worth crores of rupees.

He also confessed to have bought his car from this ill-gotten money, the STF statement said.

A case has been registered against Awasthi at the Kanpur Cantonment police station.