Khurdha, April 24: Khordha police have unearthed a major recruitment scam involving the Indian Navy, leading to the arrest of three personnel accused of defrauding job aspirants out of large sums of money by falsely promising them positions as Agniveers.
Among those arrested is a former Navy officer and two currently serving sailors—one posted at INS Chilka in Odisha and the other at INS Kesari in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The arrests were made following a First Information Report (FIR) filed on April 19 at the Balugaon police station.
According to early findings, the accused had been collecting large amounts of money from candidates, assuring them of recruitment into the Navy. The scam specifically targeted aspirants who had appeared for the Agniveer recruitment examination in November 2024.
“These individuals extorted significant sums by offering help with police verification, physical tests, and final selection processes,” said Khordha Superintendent of Police Sagarika Nath, addressing the media.
During the investigation, police recovered several documents, including bank records and proof of financial transactions linked to the scam.
“The arrested include a former Navy officer from Uttar Pradesh, an EAP-5 ranked serviceman stationed at INS Kesari, and another sailor currently posted at INS Chilka,” SP Nath confirmed.
Police suspect that the network of fraudsters extends further. Based on intelligence inputs, two more individuals are believed to be involved. Authorities have already frozen 12 bank accounts connected to the scheme as the probe continues.
The investigation is ongoing, with police working to uncover the full extent of the scam and bring all involved to justice.
