STF nabs inspector in connection with police recruitment scam

BHOPAL: Special Task Force (STF) arrested inspector Ajay Pawar for his alleged role in police recruitment scam from an alleged criminal's flat in Bhopal's Piplani area late on Saturday night.
Pawar helped his son Abhijit and six other candidates clear the written test for recruitment of subedar/sun-inspector/platoon commandant conducted in 2012 in collusion with MPPEB officials.He allegedly charged Rs 10 to 15 lakh from each candidate. Abhijit is out on bail.
Pawar was on the run after being booked in MPPEB scam. The officer had changed several SIM cards to avoid interception, but was using the same mobile phone. The phone's IMEI number was tracked and he was nabbed, said sources.
A .32 bore revolver was also recovered from him. STF is trying to find out whether it is a licensed firearm.
"We got the information that he was boozing with one of his friends at the flat. However he was found alone," said an STF officer.
Pawar is also a suspect in police constable recruitment scam.
STF sources said Pawar had links with middlemen Bharat Mishra and former chief system analyst of PEB Nitin Mohindra.
After initial questioning, Pawar confessed giving Rs 49 lakh to Nitin Mohindra for helping seven candidates clear written exam. The payments were made through Bharat Mishra, brother of an IPS officer, arrested recently.
Pawar was produced in court on Sunday, which remanded him to STF's custody till July 27. He will be confronted with detained MPPEB officers Nitin Mohindra and C K Mishra.
STF had declared a cash reward of Rs 10,000 on his arrest. Pawar, who was posted with MP police's intelligence wing, was suspended, after he was named an accused.
The flat, from which he was arrested, is owned by in Giriraj Yadav, a listed criminal of Ashok Nagar area.