Pune, March 1 -- A coordinated effort by the Military Intelligence (MI) unit of the Army's Southern Command and Pune city Police has resulted in the arrest of an individual implicated in a fraudulent Army recruitment scheme, officials said.

The suspect, identified as Suryawanshi Nitin Balaji from Latur district, was apprehended in the vicinity of the Southern Command headquarters in Pune on Saturday, said a senior official of Pune Police.

According to police authorities, Suryawanshi targeted prospective candidates from economically weaker backgrounds in Maharashtra and Karnataka, promising them recruitment into the Army. It is alleged that he demanded Rs three lakh per candidate, fraudulently amassing an estimated sum of Rs 5-10 lakh. ...