Pune: A man who posed as an Army officer and duped job seekers by promising them recruitment into the military has been arrested by Military Intelligence (MI) and Bundgarden Police. The accused, Nitin Balaji Suryavanshi (resident of Helamb, Latur district), had allegedly collected lakhs of rupees from multiple individuals under false pretenses.
The 23-year-old complainant, a resident of Gondhal Nagar, Pune, was preparing for Army and Police recruitment. On August 13, 2024, he met Nitin Suryavanshi at Udgir railway station, where the accused introduced himself as an Army official who could facilitate recruitment. After exchanging phone numbers, Suryavanshi later invited him to Southern Command Canteen and Sub-Area Canteen in Pune on August 17, 2024.
Wearing an Army uniform, Suryavanshi claimed he could secure a job within a month for a payment of ₹2 lakh. Trusting him, the complainant paid ₹1.75 lakh—₹1 lakh in cash and the rest online. Suryavanshi assured him that he would receive his joining letter by March.
As the complainant waited, Suryavanshi started avoiding calls and making excuses. Suspicious of foul play, the complainant approached Southern Command for verification and discovered that Suryavanshi had no connection with the Army.
A complaint was then filed with Military Intelligence, which led to the discovery that several other youths had also fallen victim to the scam, with at least ₹3 lakh collected from them.
A trap was set by Military Intelligence and Bundgarden Police, leading to Suryavanshi’s arrest at the Southern Command Canteen and Sub-Area Canteen. He was taken into custody, and further investigations are ongoing under Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Dheeraj Gupta.