In a joint operation, the Southern Command Liaison Unit (Military Intelligence) and Pune Police’s crime branch on Sunday busted a fake Army recruitment racket during a written examination here, a senior police official said.

The racket was busted during the common entrance exam held at the Army Institute of Physical Training (AIPT) and three people, including a serving Army jawan, were arrested, police said.

“We had received information regarding the Army recruitment scam for today’s common entrance exam at AIPT ground from military authorities. Acting jointly, we detained suspects- Havildar Jaidev Singh Parihar, who works in the recruitment office, Vel Singh Rawat, a tout, and interrogated them,” Bachchan Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) said.

“These people had promised jobs in the Army to 17 aspirants and had also roped in one Ravindra Rathod to tutor them. He has also been arrested,” he added.

The suspects had planned to take ₹ 1.5 lakh from each successful student, police said.

An offence is being registered at Wanwadi police station and involvement of these suspects in other recruitments as well as the involvement of more people is being probed by the crime branch, he added.