Mangaluru: Military Intelligence Unit in a joint operation with Mangaluru Police on Sunday arrested one person for allegedly cheating people by claiming to be a Junior Commissioned Officer in Indian Army.

The arrested accused has been identified as Manjunath Reddy, who was staying in his rented house at Lord Krishna Estate in Surathkal.

According to an official press release issued after Reddy’s arrest “Items related to Army uniform, used by imposter to pose as serving Indian Army Soldier including scanned fake Indian Army Identity Card, Fake Indian Army Dependent card and fake Indian Army rubber stamps were recovered from the house of imposter”.

The press statement added that the initial investigation into the matter revealed Reddy was earlier working inside “Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre, Belgau” campus as a civilian employee from where he purchased all the Army dress. Reddy has also said that he posed as Army Junior Commissioned Officer of the rank of naib subedar/subedar/subedar major and organised various public events like felicitation ceremonies for retired and families of martyred Army personnel. Through which he gained trust of people and later promised them of getting job in the Indian Army to serve as Soldier by taking money from them.

Reddy has reportedly duped various individuals and families of lakhs of rupees in the name of recruiting them in Indian Army. The Army Intelligence and Police team investigating the matter suspects a huge fake recruitment racket being run by fraudulent agents/imposters to make money. The team also suspects that Reddy will not be the lone member of the nexus and may have people from inside Army especially from Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre, Belgaum who might assist/guide the imposter in carrying such activities.

The army intelligence team was led by Major Swathi Srivalli Dharwadkar along with Mangaluru North Subdivision ACP. Further investigations into the matter are underway.

The press statement also warned people from being scammed by such imposters and added that Army selection is not done by means of paying money and no Army personnel will ask for money to provide direct recruitment order. It also urged people to use right channel for Army recruitment which is only by registering online on www.joinindianarmy.gov.in

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Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.

In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.

Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.

In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.

The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.

Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.

It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".

"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.

It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.

The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.

On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.

Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.