An internal probe has been ordered into an alleged security breach at the 108 Infantry Battalion TA (Territorial Army) 'Mahar' in Pathankot 272 Transit Camp, where a fake recruit was deployed from July to October this year.
Army officials said that the inquiry would focus on the lapses that led to the security breach, how salary of Rs 12,500 per month was disbursed to the fake recruit, how he remained undetected for such a long time in the high security zone, and how he got access to INSAS rifle.
The probe will also look into the possibility of other personnel within the ranks being involved in the racket.
The development comes a day after inputs from Military Intelligence (MI) led to the arrest of a former sentry of 108 Infantry Battalion TA, Rahul Singh, and one of his two accomplices, Bittu Singh, from Meerut. Rahul had allegedly taken Rs 16 lakh from the Ghaziabad-based army aspirant Manoj Kumar by promising to help him get a job in the army.
The accused, who was 'posted' as a sentry in the Pathankot-based 272 Transit Camp, got Manoj inside the centre, gave him a uniform and tasked him with various functions, including that of a follower, a cook and a sentry for which Rahul went to the extent of handing over the INSAS rifle issued to him to do duty by proxy so as to convince Manoj that he was indeed recruited.
Rahul's accomplice Bittu used to present himself before Manoj as a senior army officer, mostly on video call in full army uniform, complete with medals. It was Bittu who confirmed Manoj's 'recruitment'.
Superintendent of Police (City) Piyush Singh said: "We recovered the uniform, all fake documents, a few stamps and also a country-made pistol from the arrested men. The third accused, Raja Singh, is still at large. All the three accused have been booked based on an FIR lodged by Manoj Kumar at Daurala police station in Meerut."
Meanwhile in Bareilly, an army jawan, who was pushed off a slowly moving train by a TTE (travelling ticket examiner) last Thursday following a heated argument finally succumbed to his injuries.
The incident happened when the train was moving out of the Bareilly railway station on November 18. The jawan, identified as Sonu Singh of 24 Rajputana Rifles, initially lost both his legs after he was pushed off the Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express. A badly injured Sonu was taken to a military hospital. His leg was amputated on Monday but he did not regain consciousness till Wednesday.
TTE Kupan Bore has been absconding since the incident. Government Railway Police Inspector Ajit Pratap Singh said, "Police registered a case against TTE Kupan Bore based on the complaint given by the army. A case under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code for attempt to murder has been registered against Bore."
Ajit further said, "Kupan Bore is still on the run, and the search for him is on."
