The arrested people were identified as Satyam Chahar, currently working at INS Kesari, Andaman and Nicobar, Vinay Kumar Ray, presently posted at INS Chilika and retired Navy official Bhoosan.
Three people, including two serving in the Navy in Odisha’s Khurda district, have been arrested by the police for allegedly extorting money from Agniveer aspirants during a recruitment drive in November 2024, an official said on Friday.
The arrested people were identified as Satyam Chahar, currently working at INS Kesari, Andaman and Nicobar, Vinay Kumar Ray, presently posted at INS Chilika and retired Navy official Bhoosan, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, the officer said.
The trio were arrested following a complaint lodged by Lieutenant Commander Adwitiya Singh, a training correspondence officer at INS Chilka, at the Balugaon police station on April 19. They face charges of cheating and extortion. INS Chilka issued a statement, highlighting the Indian Navy’s proactive stance in preventing recruitment malpractices.
“During routine surveillance, aligned with the ongoing Agniveer recruitment process, INS Chilka detected suspicious activities suggesting a possible monetary transaction from a candidate,” the statement read.
Following this lead, the Navy took swift action, with its surveillance team identifying a potential suspect and sharing the information with the Odisha police at the Balugaon police station.
“Upon receiving the tip-off, the police successfully apprehended the accused. The Indian Navy is fully cooperating with the police as the investigation progresses,” the Navy added.
Khurda SP Sagarika Nath, who is overseeing the case, stated that the arrested individuals are accused of extorting significant sums of money from Agniveer aspirants, promising assistance in police verification, physical tests, and securing jobs.
“We have arrested three individuals and are still searching for two others allegedly involved in the scam. We expect to apprehend them soon,” Nath told PTI. She also mentioned that the police have contacted the Navy to verify if any candidates were unlawfully recruited as Agniveers.
(With PTI inputs)
