Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 13 (HBTV): Pune city police and Southern Command Military Intelligence busted a fake army recruitment racket in Pune city in a joint operation and arrested one individual, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused has been identified as Mohit Ram Singh Dhami, a resident of Uttarakhand. He was apprehended from Pune Railway Station at approximately 8:30 PM on Tuesday, police said.

The arrest followed a complaint by 23-year-old Dhule resident Ravindra Janardan Bilade, who claimed that Dhami deceived him and his friend of ₹4.80 lakh.

The incident took place on March 31, 2024, when Bilade and his friend were in Pune for a government job recruitment exam. According to Bilade's complaint, Dhami posed as a Southern Command Hospital employee and promised to secure their selection in the army despite their age exceeding the limit. Over the next few days, Dhami collected their documents and money, with Bilade sending ₹2.80 lakh and his friend sending ₹2 lakh.

The scam extended beyond these individuals, targeting financially disadvantaged candidates from Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Maharashtra. Dhami reportedly charged each candidate ₹2 lakh for the fake recruitment. Police anticipate that at least 10-15 more aspirants have been defrauded by the accused and have appealed for victims to come forward and file their complaints proactively.

The Southern Intelligence Command in Pune provided military-specific information about Dhami's involvement in the fake recruitment racket to the Bund Garden Police on February 11, 2024. After verification, the joint team apprehended Dhami on Tuesday.

The Bund Garden Police have filed charges against Dhami under Sections 319(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), addressing cheating by personation and cheating with dishonest inducement to investigate the case further. (ANI)