Ahmednagar (Maharashtra), June 20 The Ahmednagar Police in cooperation with Jammu and Kashmir Military Intelligence unit on Saturday arrested a former Army official who had been declared a 'deserter' and consequently sacked, an official said.
Though he was not working anywhere, he moved around in a car wearing an Army uniform. He was on the run for the last five years.
Accused Prashant Bhaurao Patil alias Parashram Patil was earlier working with the Assam Rifles 46 Regiment, but was a regular defaulter. In 2014, he went on leave but never returned to join duty. He was issued a show-cause notice, and subsequently declared a deserter and finally sacked from the Army.
He was thereafter involved in several cases of theft and forgery.
After a tip-off through MI official Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Ahmednagar Superintendent of Police Sagar Netaji Patil set up a team to arrest the 32-year-old accused who hails from Belgaum in Karnataka.
Finally, Ahmednagar Police Crime Branch arrested Patil this afternoon from his hiding place in Hoshing MIDC area in Ahmednagar.
Police seized two uniforms of Army officers, fake identity cards, CSD cards, dependent cards in his mother's and wife's names, Aadhaar and PAN cards etc from him. Police and MI are interrogating him at present.
Fake documents, an Army unit stamp, and a Bolero car with fake registration number but fitted with 'On Army Duty' board was also seized from him, apart from five mobile phones and five SIM cards.
Police also raided his residence in Ahmednagar. The seizures also included an insignia with 'Office of Commandant of 9, Para Regt (SF)' written on it, a name plate, pension cards, ATM cards of five banks, cheque books of seven banks and 14 bank passbooks in his and wife' names.
The police officer said cases were registered against the accused in Pune's Bundgarden and Wakad police stations for fraud and further investigations are on.
( With inputs from IANS )