In a significant joint operation by Military Intelligence and Maharashtra Police, a suspect was arrested in Ahmednagar district on February 2, and around 40 replicas of the newly introduced combat uniform of the Indian Army were seized from him. The suspect is understood to have connections in Rajasthan and New Delhi.
According to a statement by the Maharashtra police, the South Command Military Intelligence received information that a suspect traveling in an Innova had reached the CSD Canteen on Jamkhed Road, Ahmednagar, with replicas of combat uniforms used by the Indian Army. This information is considered sensitive and the districts of Ahmednagar, Aurangabad and Pune are very sensitive places for the Army, with Pune being the home of several military institutions.
The risk of unauthorised access by suspects disguised as military personnel into restricted areas of the Army cannot be ruled out.
Accused Identified, Held In Joint Operation
Military Intelligence shared the information with Ahmednagar Police, and a joint operation was launched. During the operation, the suspect, Suresh Pritamdas Khatri, 49, was arrested from Jamkhed Road. In the course of interrogation, he revealed himself to be a resident of Deolali Camp, Nashik district, which also has military training facilities. A search of the car in his possession resulted in the discovery of 40 Army uniforms. When questioned about the uniforms, he claimed he had new combat uniforms of Army officers for sale. When asked whether he had a licence to sell Army uniforms, he admitted to not having one but continued to mislead the agencies.
According to sources, investigations revealed that Khatri had connections in Rajasthan and Delhi, and was involved in the selling of replicas of the new Army combat uniforms. The use of such attire could pose a threat, considering that Delhi is the national capital and Rajasthan shares a border with Pakistan.
Whether someone with Army connections supplied Khatri with these uniforms is being probed and the focus is also on identifying the recipient of the fake uniforms.
Khatri was picked up from Bhingar Camp in Ahmednagar, and an FIR has been registered against him. Joint interrogation is being conducted to uncover the network behind the possibility of a large-scale supply of Army uniforms across three states.
