Odisha Police busts racket involved in Navy recruitment scam, three held

Bhubaneswar, April 24 (IANS) Odisha Police on Thursday arrested three Indian Navy officers, including one retired official, on the allegations of taking money from prospective candidates to facilitate them pass the recruit examination for various positions in the Navy.

The accused were identified as Bhooshan (ex-Navy) of Uttar Pradesh, Satyam Chahar (EAP 5) of Uttar Pradesh, at present working at INS Kesari, Andaman & Nicobar and Vinay Kumar Ray (MC-at-ARMS-II), presently deployed at INS Chilka in Odisha.

As per reports, suspecting some irregularities in the selection process of some new recruits, the Lieutenant Commander Adwitiya Singh, Training Correspondence Officer (INS Chilka), sought the help of Khordha police to launch a probe into the matter.

Singh said that during the induction process for the posts of Agniveers (SSR/MR), CG Navik(GD) and Yantriks, some individuals were extorting money from candidates at the pretext of providing them undue/illegal assistance during the recruitment process. They also extort money from the candidates by threatening them.

The Khordha police, following three months of intense probe, finally busted the racket involved in the job fraud case. Based on the written complaint of Lieutenant Commander Singh, the Khordha police registered a case at the Balugaon Police station on April 19 and arrested the trio on Thursday.

The police, during investigation, ascertained that the accused Navy officials were part of various social media groups such as WhatsApp and Telegram groups to clear doubts of the candidates regarding the documentation process for the recruitment and to help regarding enrollment as a trainee in the Indian Navy.

“They got in touch with various candidates who were in the recruitment process, including the induction process and extorted and cheated money from them on various pretexts to help them pass the recruitment exam held for these posts,” informed the Khordha Police on Thursday.

Speaking to media persons, Khordha Superintendent of Police Sagarika Nath said that the accused collected a handsome amount from the candidates who appeared in the exam for Agniveer in November 2024 by promising them to provide them assistance for police verification, pass medical examination, and secure the job.

“The bank documents have been seized as proof of the illegal transactions. So far, three people have been arrested in this case. Among them, one is an ex-Navy officer and a resident of Uttar Pradesh. The second accused is currently holding an EAP-5 position and is posted at INS Kesari, Andaman & Nicobar. The third accused is serving at INS Chilka,” said SP Sagarika Nath.

SP Nath further added that the police have also fetched evidence regarding the involvement of two more officers, and a letter has been written to the Commander at INS Kesari, Andaman & Nicobar, for civil arrest of those officials.

She also stated that more arrests will be made in the case, apart from the five persons who have so far been apprehended.

--IANS

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