Pune: In a joint operation, Southern Command Liaison Unit and Pune Police Crime Branch on Sunday busted a fake Army recruitment racket in Pune during a written examination.

The racket was smashed during the entrance exam held at the Army Institute of Physical Training (AIPT) and three people, including a serving Army jawan, were nabbed. The accused are identified as Army Jawan Jaydev Singh Parihar, Vainsingh Lalsingh Rawat and Ravindra Rathod (both from Rajasthan).

"We had received information regarding the Army recruitment scam for today's common entrance exam at AIPT ground from military authorities. Acting jointly, we detained suspects- Havildar Jaidev Singh Parihar, who works in the recruitment office, Vel Singh Rawat, a tout, and interrogated them," PTI quoted Bachchan Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) as saying. "These people had promised jobs in the Army to 17 aspirants and had also roped in one Ravindra Rathod to tutor them. He has also been arrested," he informed.

The suspects had planned to collect Rs 1.5 lakh from each successful student, police informed.

The complaint on the same is lodged at Wanwadi police station and crime branch is investigating the involvement of these suspects in other recruitments as well as the involvement of more people.