Army job recruitment racket; aspirants duped off lakhs

Dharamshala, Dec 10: A gang of swindlers duped hundreds of unsuspecting youths off lakhs of rupees promising them a job in the Army. The scam is likely to be busted, following the arrests of the kingpins on Thursday night.

The Dehra police of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh arrested the husband and brother-in-law of Anita Sandal, a former BJP leader from Paragpur in the district of Kangra, namely Kuldeep Singh and Ranjeet Singh.

However, Anita Sandal is also one of the accused in the duping case but all of them have taken an anticipatory bail from the High Court after the case was registered against them in Jawalamukhi Police station near Dharamsala.

Dehra police has arrested the two on different FIRs registered against them in Dehra. Following the daily complaints that were pouring in from different police stations in this district, both the accused were arrested by the Dehra police around 8.00 pm on Wednesday.

This scam is expected to be the one of the biggest scams in the history as complainants alleged that apart from victims of the state, more than 500 youths from the district Kangra in Himachal Pradesh were also targeted.

Twenty two year old Vikas, a victim from Jwalamukhi said that he has been deceived of Rs 1,00,000. He said that Anita Sandal had told him that she will offer him a job in Assam riffles. “We were 20 boys from same locality who deposited money and certificates with Sandal,” he said.

He also disclosed that they all were taken to Assam and their so called medical test was conducted in a rented accommodation. “This process was completed in the month of January this year and then they assured us to provide Job letter in October, but not,” he said.

Following the complaints in various police stations, police had arrested three other persons last month namely Ramesh Kumar, Inderpal Singh and Sanjeev Lehri.

“Case has been registered against all of them under sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120 B of IPC. More arrests could be made soon as investigation progresses, complaints have been registered in Kangra, Dehra, Jawalamukhi, Dehra and Haripur Police stations,” said Police.

Kangra SP Daljeet Singh said that Kuldeep and Ranjeet are still in police lock up while Anita has been released as per the court direction. "Complaints are still pouring in at police stations in Dehra and Jawalaji against them," he said. Hundreds of youth from Kangra district have become victims of Assam Rifles recruitment scam and they are now approaching police for help.

Recruitment scam is sure going to have its echo in the winter session of the assembly being held from Dec 19 to 23 as Opposition Congress has already decided to take up this issue on the floor of the house. Already, over 400 victims have approached police with their complaints and many of them have fallen into the trap of Anita Sandal and her husband Kuldeep Sandal.

OneIndia News