A man impersonating as Army colonel was held here on Friday by the Crime Branch Jammu for allegedly duping people by running a recruitment racket. A Crime Branch spokesman said that a written complaint was lodged by one Mohinder Kumar son of Anek Ram of Shamachak (Jhiri) Jammu and others with Crime Branch Jammu, alleging therein that a dismissed Army soldier, Kulwinder Singh of Mishriwala, Jammu, was impersonating as Army colonel and collecting huge money ranging from Rs 2 to Rs 5 lakh for recruiting the youth in Indian Army by issuing them fake appointment orders. Quoting the complainant, he said that the impersonator would don army uniform (Colonel rank) and had also kept a laptop for preparing fake appointment orders in connivance with his associates, Vishal Bhagat of Dream city, Sahil Sharma of Janipur Press Wali Lane and Ricky Chib (step brother of accused). b “By cheating the gullible youth, the impersonator and his associates had caused wrongful gains for themselves and huge losses to the innocent youth,” the CB spokesman said, adding that the accused had taken Rs 25 lakh from the complainants and had also threatened them of dire consequences if they told about the loss to anyone. He further said that after taking the money from the complainant, Mohinder Kumar, in the year 2018, the accused had kept the former cook at his house for more than five months but didn’t pay him even a single penny. On receipt of complaint, the CB official said that a preliminary verification was conducted by Crime Branch, Jammu and on the basis of verification, it was prima facie found that accused and his associates had caused huge losses to the complainants.
Accordingly, he said a case FIR number 28/2019 under section 420, 467, 468, 471, 170, 171, 120-B RPC was registered at police station Crime Branch Jammu and a team of officers headed by DSP Bhushan Kumar Ganjoo was constituted to investigate the case expeditiously. The CB team then raided the residence and office of the accused and seized incriminating material including Army uniform with stars, medals, laptop, mobiles and other vital record, said the CB official. He further said that all the accused have been arrested on Friday under the supervision of SP, Crime Branch, Jammu, Mushtaq Ahmed. “Further investigation is in progress,” added the CB official.
