An imposter masquerading as Indian Army personnel was arrested by Bihar police on Friday, following inputs by the military intelligence (MI) unit of Danapur.
23-year-old Raushan Kumar Singh, resident of Pali in Jehanabad district, was found to have used multiple fake army identity cards, uniforms, stamps and related items to cheat aspiring soldiers.
In July 2020, MI officials had learned through their network that Raushan, who earlier served as a cook in sub-area station headquarters’ mess, was seen in a military hospital, wearing the uniform of a Sepoy of the Army Supply Core (ASC). He had allegedly duped one of the MH employees of ₹4 lakh with a fake promise to provide his son a job in the Indian Army.
During investigation, MI found that Raushan had managed to open a Defence Salary Package (DSP) account in the SBI Branch of Ramgarh Cantonment in Jharkhand to cheat his victims.
When a MI team reached his village, Raushan’s parents informed their son served in the Indian Army. Locals said that he provided training to army aspirants in the area.
Five fake army identity cards, two Aadhar cards, two PAN cards, a large number of forged documents, several pictures in army uniforms with army insignia and two fake rubber stamps were recovered from his possession. The accused has been handed over to Danapur police station of the state capital for further investigation.
SHO of Danapur police station, Ajit Kumar Saha, told HT that during the investigation, it was found that Raushan was once an army aspirant who later turned into an imposter.
Videos of him training village youths, aspiring for a job in the Indian Army, were found in his mobile apart from several pictures of Raushan dressed as personnel of army medical corps, Rajputana Rifles and others. He also managed to open a DSP account in New Delhi. A case has been lodged against him under sections 140 (impersonating a soldier), 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 467 (Forging document for gain of valuable security or money), 468 (Forging document for cheating) and 471(Fraudulent use of documents) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
“During questioning, Raushan revealed that he is a former cook of sub area headquarters in Danapur. He was impersonating as an army jawan since 2019 to lure aspiring soldiers, especially during army recruitment rallies,” said the SHO.
He confessed to have cheated more than 10 such aspirants and having received around ₹700,000 from them for falsely assuring them of selection.
He used to receive money mostly in cash to avoid leaving any electronic proof.
According to the senior police officers, he is being interrogated to find out if he had any links in the Indian Army. Meanwhile, MI officials have alerted the public not to get duped by touts and imposters promising jobs in the army. The only way to join the Indian Army is by registering online on www.joinindianArmy.gov.in, said officials.
