Recruitment on fake documents: Retd Army Colonel arrested

Nashik, Aug 31 (PTI) A retired Army Colonel has beenarrested in connection with the alleged bogus recruitmentracket at the Artillery Centre here, police said today. Colonel (retd) Sukhpritsingh Arjunsingh Randhawa (59),a resident of Noida in Uttar Pradesh, who is alleged to be themastermind of the bogus Army recruitment racket, was arrestedyesterday from Noida by a team of the city’s Upnagar policestation. The personnel, who recently retired from the Army,will be brought to Nashik for further probe in the case,Deputy Commissioner of Police Shrikant Dhivare said. Police had on July 11 arrested four men claiming to beArmy recruits — Balbir Ramchandra Gurjar, SureshkumarShivcharan Mahanto, Sachinkumar Kishansingh and TejapalMotiram Chopada — all hailing from Rajasthan, for allegedlysubmitting fake documents for joining the Artillery Centrehere. They were held following a complaint lodged by anArtillery Centre official. A case was registered against them under sections 420,465, 468, 471, 120-B and 34 of IPC, Upnagar police stationin charge Ashok Bhagat said. During interrogation, the four men confessed that theypaid Rs six lakh each to get entry into the Army by using fakedocuments, police said. Later, the Upnagar police arrested jawan GirirajsingGhanshyamsingh Chouhan, of Rajputana Rifles regiment, postedin New Delhi, and agent Tekchand Meghawal, a resident ofRajasthan’s Alvar district, on August 23. According to Bhagat, seven persons, including theretired Colonel and an agent, have so far been arrested inconnection with the case. The interrogation of Randhawa is expected to throwlight on how many youths were cheated and recruited in theArmy on the basis of fake documents, he added. PTI HVJ GK KISBAS