Bhubaneswar, Aug 14: In a disturbing turn of events, Santosh Kumar Sethi has been arrested by Shahidnagar Police for allegedly running a fraudulent Army recruitment scam. The arrest follows a complaint lodged by the victim, Santosh Kumar Swain, a job aspirant from the Ghatikia area.
According to Swain's complaint, he came in contact with Sethi through a woman who promised to help him secure a job in the Indian Army. The woman assured Swain that Sethi, posing as an Army recruiter, would facilitate his recruitment into the Army's 120 Battalion. In exchange for a fee, Sethi claimed he could guarantee Swain a job.
The accused provided Swain with a set of fake documents, including an Aadhar card, PAN card, and various certificates, as well as a fabricated QR code. Sethi demanded ₹5,000 through Swain’s brother, Sudhir Kumar Swain, and promised that Swain would soon receive a uniform, ID card, and an official appointment letter. However, after receiving the money, Sethi cut off communication with Swain by blocking his phone number.
The situation came to a head on December 8, 2024, when Swain confronted Sethi near Acharya Vihar. During the confrontation, Sethi allegedly used abusive language and even threatened Swain. This prompted Swain to report the matter to the police.
Upon investigation, police arrested Santosh Kumar Sethi on Wednesday. Further inquiries revealed that Sethi had been running a similar scam, duping multiple individuals by posing as a military recruiter and extorting money from them. He is also suspected of using fake documents to create a fraudulent image of legitimacy.
The police are continuing their investigation into the case, and authorities are urging others who may have been affected to come forward.
