The Thiruvananthapuram rural police on Thursday arrested the prime accused in the Army job scam through which numerous aspirants were swindled.
Fifty-eight-year-old Geetharani of Ayyanthole, Thrissur, was arrested along with her accomplices Joy of Kilannoor in Thrissur and Prakash of Enchakkal from an apartment in Thrissur. They were apprehended in connection with an alleged racket in which several people were defrauded of about ₹20 crore during the course of 12 years.
The accused persons were arrested by a team led by Aryanad Circle Inspector Anil Kumar and Neyyar Dam Sub-Inspector Satheesh Kumar, under the directive of Nedumangad Dy. SP Bijumon.
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Three people, identified as Santhosh Kumar of Kottarakara, Mary and Mohan Antony of Thiruvananthapuram, who are suspected to be part of the racket, had been arrested by the Neyyar Dam police recently.
According to the police, the gang used to operate a consultancy firm in Patturaikkal in Thrissur. The firm proved to be a safe cover for the job scam through which they forged several documents that were claimed to have been issued by public sector units, including the Indian Railways, some of which were seized from her flat on Thursday.
The police said that Geetharani’s husband, Rajagopal of Alappuzha, had been arrested earlier after the accused had allegedly provided false assurance of a job at a school of which he was an office-bearer. She had also obtained ₹2 lakh from the job aspirant in return for a cheque issued in her husband’s name.
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After parting ways with her family, Geetharani came into contact with Santhosh and the others, all of who were entrusted with various roles.