Pune: Retired Clerk Swindles Youths with Fake Army Job Promises; Case Registered Against Accused

Pune: A retired clerk from the Command Hospital in Wanwadi stands accused of duping several youths with promises of employment in the Army, further exacerbating his fraudulent activities by recently scamming an additional 40 individuals of Rs. 28 lakhs. Following these egregious actions, a case has been filed against the accused, identified as Vinayak Tukaram Kadale, at the Market Yard Police Station, supplementing an earlier case registered against him at the Kondhwa Police Station.

The arrest of Vinayak Tukaram Kadale was facilitated by a joint operation conducted by the Kondhwa Police and Military Intelligence, subsequent to a complaint lodged at the Kondhwa police station by Ajinkya Tanaji Gandile, who was among the initial victims. Gandile, along with several others, fell prey to Kadale’s deceitful tactics, entrusting him with substantial sums of money under the pretence of securing employment opportunities within the Army.

According to police reports, Gandile’s acquaintance with Kadale began in 2021 through a lawyer known to his family. Kadale purported to facilitate recruitment for various positions at the Command Hospital, including roles such as computer operator, writer, gardener, ward assistant, and watchman, thereby enticing Gandile, who was actively seeking employment. Kadale’s ostensible credibility, bolstered by the display of his Army ID card, engendered trust among the victims, leading them to deposit significant sums ranging from Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 70,000 into his bank account.

Meanwhile, Kadale’s mobile number was not given to anyone until then. Thereafter, the complainant met Kadale again after a few days. At that time, Kadale showed them the letter of the committee appointed for the selection of candidates. Kadale’s name was in it. Because of this, the youth gained more trust in him. After this, Kadale said the recruitment process has stalled due to COVID. He also let Gandhile communicate with a person, saying that the person was a senior officer in the army.

After a lot of inquiries from the youth, Kadale sent an advertisement for posts on their WhatsApp numbers. After that, all the documents were collected from the youths, and the exam hall tickets were sent to them. It was said that the exam would be held on February 12, 2023, at Command Hospital. However, the names of the youths on the list were erased with whitener. So it was revealed to be a fake.

Efforts to recover the defrauded funds proved futile, as Kadale callously attributed the misappropriation of funds to COVID-related expenses and asserted that reimbursement was unfeasible. Police officer Shital Jadhav is investigating this case further.