Odisha Police Uncovers Navy Recruitment Fraud, Three Arrested
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Synopsis
Odisha Police arrested three Indian Navy officers, including a retired member, for allegedly taking money from candidates to help them pass recruitment exams. The arrests followed a thorough investigation into irregularities in the recruitment process.
Key Takeaways
- Three Navy officers arrested for recruitment fraud.
- Allegations of extorting money from candidates.
- Investigation initiated by Lieutenant Commander Adwitiya Singh.
- Involvement of social media platforms in the scam.
- Evidence collected for further arrests.
Bhubaneswar, April 24 (NationPress) Odisha Police arrested three Indian Navy officers on Thursday, including one retired member, for allegedly accepting money from aspiring candidates to assist them in passing the recruitment examination for various Navy positions.
The arrested individuals were identified as Bhooshan (former Navy) from Uttar Pradesh, Satyam Chahar (EAP 5) from Uttar Pradesh, currently stationed at INS Kesari in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Vinay Kumar Ray (MC-at-ARMS-II), who is presently assigned to INS Chilka in Odisha.
As reported, Lieutenant Commander Adwitiya Singh, Training Correspondence Officer at INS Chilka, noticed irregularities in the recruitment process for new candidates and sought assistance from the Khordha police to investigate the claims.
Singh indicated that during the induction for positions such as Agniveers (SSR/MR), CG Navik (GD), and Yantriks, certain individuals were soliciting money from candidates under the guise of providing illegal help throughout the recruitment process. They also threatened candidates to extort funds.
After three months of thorough investigation, the Khordha police successfully dismantled this job fraud racket. Acting on Lieutenant Commander Singh's written complaint, a case was filed at the Balugaon Police station on April 19, leading to the trio's arrest on Thursday.
During the investigation, authorities discovered that the accused Navy officials were involved in various social media platforms, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, to assist candidates with inquiries related to the recruitment documentation and facilitate their enrollment in the Indian Navy as trainees.
“They contacted multiple candidates engaged in the recruitment process and extorted money from them on various pretenses to help them succeed in the exams for these positions,” stated Khordha Police on Thursday.
In a press briefing, Khordha Superintendent of Police Sagarika Nath revealed that the accused had amassed considerable sums from candidates participating in the Agniveer exam in November 2024 by promising aid for police verification, medical examinations, and job security.
“Documents from bank transactions have been confiscated as evidence of these illegal dealings. Three individuals have been arrested in connection with this case: one is a former Navy officer, another currently serves in an EAP-5 capacity at INS Kesari, and the third is on duty at INS Chilka, Odisha,” stated SP Sagarika Nath.
SP Nath further mentioned that evidence has also been collected regarding the involvement of two additional officers, and a notification has been sent to the Commander at INS Kesari to arrange for their civil arrest.
She added that further arrests are anticipated in this matter, in addition to the five individuals already detained.
