The Military Intelligence Unit and Mangaluru North sub-division police have busted a fake army recruitment racket and arrested an impostor posing as an army Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army. He allegedly collected money from people by promising them jobs in the Indian Army.
According to police officials, the suspect identified as Manjunath Reddy was arrested from his rented house at Lord Krishna Estate in Surathkal (Mangaluru North) on Sunday. Police suspect that Manjunath collected lakhs of rupees from his suspects. Police say that the Military Intelligence Unit was already probing a job scam. The Assistant Sub Inspector Muhammed received information about Manjunath Reddy on Novemnber 23, after which he was arrested.
Mangaluru police stated that the 37-year-old used to con people posing as an officer attached to the Military Intelligence Unit. Using the varied rank of naib subedar, subedar, subedar major on his ‘fake uniform’, he told people that he was attached to the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre in Belagavi. “He had acquired a used Army uniform, through one of his acquaintances, while he worked in Belagavi,” a police official said.
Reddy further upped his act of being an Army officer by frequently organising series of public functions like felicitation ceremonies for retired soldiers, families of martyred army personnel and so on. After winning over people’s trust over his fake credentials, he then he promised them jobs in the Indian Army and collected money from the purpose. The police officials stated that scores of people have fallen prey to Reddy’s racket have been duped of lakhs of rupees. “We are still awaiting for people to come forward and the total sum Reddy had collected through his modus operandi,” police officials said.
The Army Intelligence and Police suspect that there may be others involved in the recruitment racket, who were either part of the deceit or genuinely believed him. The police also believe that Reddy may have been assisted by people within the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre at Belagavi. “That’s one of the reasons, MIU has also been acting on the information and carrying a parallel investigation,” the police official.
The arrest of Reddy was done jointly by the Military Intelligence Unit, Number 4 Detachment Southern Command Liaison Unit, Intelligence team led by Intelligence Officer Major Swathi Srivalli Dharwadkar and Assistant Commissioner Police squad of the Mangaluru North Subdivision.
A case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 171 (wearing garb or carrying token given to a public servant), 419 (cheating by impersonation) and 420 (cheating) has been registered against Manjunath Reddy at the Surathkal Police Station. The number of people who have been cheated by Reddy and the amount of money taken from them is currently being ascertained by the investigation team.
The police recovered fake identity card accredited to the Indian Army, an Indian Army dependent card, rubber stamps and Indian Army uniforms from Reddy’s possession, using which Reddy allegedly deceived unsuspecting individuals.
Story by www.storyinfinity.com (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP).