Karnataka man dupes 150 army aspirants of Rs 1 crore, arrested

The accused, a deserter of the Indian Army, sporting an ID card of an army man, conducted a recruitment drive and provided the victims training to make it look like he was the head of recruitment.

The Indian defence forces confirmed the arrest of 40-year-old Sivaraj Vatagal, a deserter of the Indian Army, in a joint operation. (Representational image)

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A Hubbali resident who allegedly duped around 150 youths by collecting money to the tune of Rs 1 crore on the fake promise of jobs in the defence forces has been arrested in Karnataka’s Chitradurga, officials said.

The Indian defence forces confirmed the arrest of 40-year-old Sivaraj Vatagal, a deserter of the Indian Army, in a joint operation by the Military Intelligence unit of Bengaluru and Srirampura police team on October 20.

Vatagal, sporting an ID card of an army man, conducted a recruitment drive and provided the victims training to make it look like he was the head of recruitment, said an officer of Srirampura police station.

Sivaraj’s girlfriend Beemavva has also been named in the First Information Report (FIR).

Officials have seized items such as fake identity cards and Army recruitment-related documents from them. Cash to the tune of Rs 16 lakh was found in his bank account, the officer said.

It was found that Vatagal promised the youths jobs in the Army, Air Force and Navy, in different districts of Karnataka such as Chitradurga, Davangere and Haveri districts, said a defence spokesperson.

The issue came to light when the accused after collecting money from aspirants changed his phone numbers and remained incommunicado.

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The Srirampura police registered a case based on the complaint of one of the victims, Prakash, a resident of Davangere district.

Vatagal has been sent to judicial custody, officials said.

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