Ex-Soldier Detained in Sitapur for Army Job Fraud Targeting Unemployed Youth
The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has apprehended Rahul Kumar, a former military personnel, on charges of impersonating an Indian Army colonel to scam unemployed individuals with fake military recruitment offers. This arrest was executed early Saturday morning at a residence in Narayan Nagar, Hema Purwa, within the jurisdiction of the Kotwali police station in Sitapur.
Kumar, originally from Kakrala village in Muzaffarnagar district, was found with a counterfeit army uniform, four fake appointment letters, forged seals, a canteen card, an Aadhaar card, and a mobile phone. During interrogation, Kumar revealed that he previously served in the Mahar Regiment and, after leaving the Army, worked as a goods transport vehicle driver before initiating this fraudulent operation.
Officials disclosed that Kumar had been targeting job seekers for several months by promising them Army appointments in exchange for money, providing them with fake appointment letters and documents to make the scam seem credible. The STF, after receiving multiple leads about a person in uniform offering fraudulent army employment, organized a team supervised by DSP Avnishwar Chandra Srivastava and led by Inspector Santosh Kumar Singh to conduct the raid.
The case has been filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, encompassing charges of cheating, impersonation, and forgery. The local police have commenced an ongoing investigation, and the Indian Army has been informed of this impersonation incident.
Authorities have reiterated their warning to the public to remain vigilant and not fall victim to deceptive recruitment schemes. The Army has emphasized that all legitimate recruitment processes are transparent and conducted through verified online platforms without the involvement of intermediaries or agents.
