Odisha police have received clearance from the Indian Navy to arrest two additional serving personnel allegedly involved in Agniveer recruitment irregularities in the state, confirmed Khurda SP Sagarika Nath on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, three individuals were arrested: Vinay Kumar Ray, ‘master chief at arms-II’ from INS Chilka, Odisha; Satyam Chahar, ‘electrical artificer apprentice-V’ from INS Kesari, Andaman and Nicobar; and a former Navy employee, Bhooshan. They face charges of fraud and monetary exploitation of Agniveer candidates during recruitment at INS Chilka under the Agnipath scheme.
SP Nath stated, “Following protocol, we sought permission from the Indian Navy to arrest two serving personnel stationed in Andaman and Nicobar after uncovering evidence of their involvement. The Navy has granted approval.” The identities and ranks of these two personnel remain undisclosed.
On Friday, the Indian Navy attributed the arrests to its strong surveillance and intelligence network. INS Chilka reported detecting suspicious activity during routine checks coinciding with the ongoing Agniveer recruitment, including potential monetary demands from candidates.
The Navy’s surveillance team quickly identified a suspect and shared intelligence with Odisha’s Balugaon police station, leading to successful arrests. The Navy is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
The Navy reaffirmed the fairness and transparency of the Agniveer recruitment process, which includes posts such as senior secondary recruit (SSR), matric recruit (MR), Coast Guard navik (general duty), and yantriks (technicians).
SP Nath revealed suspicious financial activities involving 12 bank accounts linked to the three arrested individuals and the two suspects. “Evidence shows the accused demanded bribes ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1.2 lakh per candidate, promising assistance in clearing recruitment stages like document verification, police checks, and medical exams through fraudulent means,” she said.
