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HYDERABAD: An inter-State Army recruitment racket, operating from Hyderabad and allegedly run by a former Army officer, who claims he is an Arjuna award winner, was busted on Tuesday in a joint operation by the Military Intelligence and the Alwal police.

RetiredSubedar Major and Honorary Captain A.V.R. Naidu, the alleged kingpin, was arrested after a raid on his residence in Balaji Nagar. Fake stamps of several commanding officers and other senior personnel of various Army regiments and military units across the country were seized from his possession along with a number of forged certificates. Two persons, suspected to be his agents, were also taken into custody.

Though Naidu produced a certificate purportedly presented by former President R. Venkataraman conferring him the Arjuna award for boxing, the police suspect even that certificate was forged.

The deals came out on Monday during the enrolment drive at AOC Centre here. Officers were suspicious about certificates produced by some boys from Karnataka and Rajasthan, following which they were handed over to the Karkhana police.

Money deals

Four youngsters each from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and one from Visakhapatnam told Intelligence officers that they had paid a minimum of Rs.50,000 each to Naidu, who had promised to help them get through the process. While the Kerala boys had paid through "agents", the Tamilians said they had paid the amount directly to Naidu. According to the youngsters who lodged a complaint, some 30 boys were staying at Naidu's residence.

Officials said the possibilities of Army personnel being involved in the racket were being verified.

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