How Indian Navy’s swift action foiled recruitment scam in Odisha

A major attempt to manipulate the Indian Navy's recruitment process was foiled recently, thanks to the prompt vigilance of the Navy itself. Acting on internal alerts, the Khordha district police arrested three individuals, including two serving Navy personnel and one ex-serviceman, for their involvement in a fraudulent recruitment racket targeting Agniveer aspirants.

According to reports, the trio was allegedly extorting large sums of money from job seekers with false promises of securing them positions as Agniveers in the Indian Navy.

The arrested individuals were identified as staff associated with INS Chilka in Odisha and INS Kesari, stationed in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

More About The Case

The case came to light after a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on April 19 at Balugaon Police Station, following which the police launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the accused.

Navy’s Vigilance Plays Key Role in Exposing the Scam

The breakthrough came during routine surveillance by the authorities at INS Chilka, who noticed irregularities coinciding with the ongoing Agniveer recruitment process. A particular case raised suspicions when there were indications of a monetary transaction being demanded from a candidate.

Taking immediate action, the Navy’s internal surveillance team flagged the issue and communicated the details to the Balugaon police. Working on the input, local law enforcement swiftly acted and managed to apprehend the suspects involved in the malpractice.

In an official statement, the Indian Navy confirmed its active collaboration with the Odisha police in the ongoing probe. The Navy reiterated its zero-tolerance stance against corruption and assured that every effort would be made to maintain the integrity and transparency of its recruitment procedures.

The bust not only underscores the Indian Navy’s commitment to upholding fairness in its selection process but also highlights the effective coordination between defense personnel and civil authorities in tackling fraudulent activities.

“They extorted a huge amount of money from Agniveer aspirants who appeared in the examination held in November 2024 by promising them assistance in police verification, physical examination, and securing a job,” said Khordha SP Sagarika Nath, while addressing the media.

“The police have seized several transaction proofs and bank documents during the course of their investigation. So far, three individuals have been apprehended in connection with the scam. Among them, one is a former Navy personnel and a resident of Uttar Pradesh. The second accused is currently holding an EAP-5 position and is posted at INS Kesari in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The third accused is serving at INS Chilika,” the top cop informed.