Pune Police, Military Intelligence arrest man in ₹1.8 cr fake recruitment scam

Mahesh Pandharinath Dhaka, a 35-year-old farmer from Satara district, has filed a police complaint based on which FIR was registered on October 11, at Kondhwa police station against the suspect identified as Pandurang Karale, 45, of Sangli district

In a joint operation, Southern Command, Military Intelligence and Pune city police have arrested a man for allegedly cheating 42 youths of ₹1.8 crore under the pretext of recruiting them into the Indian Army, officials said on Saturday. The offence took place between February 2022 and September 15, 2023.

The offence took place between February 2022 and September 15, 2023. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Mahesh Pandharinath Dhaka, a 35-year-old farmer from Satara district, has filed a police complaint based on which FIR was registered on October 11, at Kondhwa police station against the suspect identified as Pandurang Karale, 45, of Sangli district.

According to police, in February 2022, Dhaka visited Pune for work and overheard a conversation at a prominent hotel at NIBM Chowk in Kondhwa, where Karale claimed to have boasted about his connections with senior army officials and offered to help with army recruitment.

Dhaka then agreed with Karale, who promised to enlist candidates in the Territorial Army (TA) against a sum of ₹6 lakh per candidate.

Over the course of several months, Dhaka collected ₹1.8 crore from various candidates eager to join the army.

The money was handed over to Karale in multiple instalments at different locations, including NIBM Chowk in Kondhwa, Pune; Pethnaka in Sangli, Karad in Satara, and Tasgaon in Sangli, the police stated.

Karale conducted fake medical examinations and even sent hall tickets for a written test via WhatsApp. However, when Dhaka pressed for further details, Karale kept postponing the dates and failed to provide any concrete information.

Dhaka grew suspicious and eventually realised that Karale had cheated him and others.

Dhaka then approached Kondhwa police station, which registered an FIR against Karale for offences related to cheating and forgery under the Indian Penal Code.

Assistant police inspector Rajesh Usgaonkar, the investigating officer in the case, said that the accused took marksheets and board certificates from the 42 victims and prepared fake medical certificates and fake hall tickets.

“He sent them the fake documents on WhatsApp against taking money for army recruitment and cheated them,” he said.