Major Recruitment Scam Busted in Territorial Army Job Racket, Three Arrested
Agra Manvendra Malhotra —A gang involved in duping youths under the pretense of recruitment into the Territorial Army has been busted by the Special Task Force (STF). Targeting unemployed youths, the gang lured them with fake promises of army jobs. The operation was carried out based on inputs from Army Intelligence. Twenty-four youths were summoned from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and crores of rupees were extorted from them in the name of recruitment. Fake joining letters have been seized from the accused’s mobile phone. The police are actively investigating the case.
Army Dream Remained Unfulfilled
The Lucknow unit of Army Intelligence received information that some youths had been called to Agra on the pretext of Territorial Army recruitment. They were housed in a hotel near ISBT. During interrogation, it was revealed that similar arrangements were made at various other locations in the city. The STF team raided the hotel and found some of the candidates. These youths informed the team that others were staying at a hotel near Kheria Airport. Those individuals were also taken into custody.
₹8 Lakh Deal for General Duty Posts
The gang used to demand ₹7 to ₹8 lakh per candidate for recruitment into the General Duty post in the Territorial Army. These deals were carried out through agents. During questioning, the youths revealed that they hailed from Samba and Kathua regions of Jammu and Kashmir. They were brought in by Sunil Kumar from Samba and Balwant Singh from Kathua, who assured them of completing the recruitment process.
Medical Checkup Promised Before Joining
The agents assured candidates that they would clear all necessary procedures, including medical tests. Ajay Yadav from Firozabad was introduced to them as the person who would conduct the medical checkups. The candidates were assured they would pass and be granted joining letters afterward. The gang used this narrative to extort large sums of money from the hopefuls.
Fake Doctor Involved in Recruitment Process
The STF’s inquiry revealed that the candidates were told they would be recruited into the Agra unit of the Territorial Army. A physiotherapist from Shikohabad was brought in to conduct the medical tests. The gang even gave time to fix minor health issues to keep the process looking legitimate.
Modus Operandi of the Agents
STF investigations uncovered that the gang leader was Deepak Kumar Sharma from Pathankot. The candidates deposited money directly into his account—amounts ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹3 lakh. The gang would release fake recruitment notifications and then trap job seekers by promising appointments.
Army-Style Setup to Evade Suspicion
The gang operated in a way that mimicked the actual army recruitment environment, setting up camps that looked authentic enough to fool the candidates. After extorting money, they would conduct mock recruitment processes and even issue fake call letters to the victims.
Based on Army Intelligence input, the STF launched a probe and arrested three accused: Ajay Kumar and Kulwant Singh from Jammu and Kashmir, and Sunil Kumar from Jammu.
Rakesh, Additional Superintendent of Police, STF
Accused Arrested: 03
Cash Recovered: ₹1,630
Other Documents Seized: 13
New Victims, Shocking Methods
Fresh victims continue to come forward. Anand Kumar from Almora, Uttarakhand, reported that ₹1.18 lakh was demanded for a recruitment process at a center in Hathras. He had paid ₹2,250 as an online registration fee and received a fake joining letter and ID card. It was only after the arrest of Arvind and his female accomplice that he realized he had been scammed.
Gang Active in Western UP
New revelations continue to surface about Arvind Pandey, who operated an illegal Indian Police Protection Force training center under the guise of army recruitment. His connections to Agra are also under scrutiny. A major question remains: how will the duped victims recover their money? No significant cash or property has been traced to Arvind. The gang’s treasurer, Prakash from Bihar, remains at large. Police hope his arrest may reveal the whereabouts of the crores extorted.
The Conman’s Backstory
Arvind Pandey hails originally from Rajpur, Kurra. His mother Meera stated that he left the family nearly 15–20 years ago and they no longer have any ties with him. He married Nidhi Yadav from Shikohabad in 2011 and had a falling out with his family soon after. Arvind, who didn’t even complete high school, opened a mobile shop in Mainpuri in 2014 and began his journey into fraud.
Sumit Was Hired for Video Editing
Police discovered that Arvind also operated an office in Prateek Tower, Sanjay Place, Agra. There, he employed a man named Sumit as a video editor, who created a fake Army Captain ID for him. Sumit handled the editing of videos uploaded to YouTube. The so-called editing center was located in Shop No. 502, though police found no such center upon inspection. In 2024, Arvind reportedly leased 12 bighas of land at ₹1 lakh/month at Jatpura Chauraha, Kishani, facilitated by a local deed writer, Mukesh aka Rampal. Investigation into this lead is ongoing.
