In a major crackdown, four Army deserters were arrested at Kolkata airport while returning from Dubai. The arrests were made on the basis of an “apprehension roll” issued against the accused soldiers and with the help of information provided by the military intelligence.
The arrested soldiers have been identified as Sepoy Prabin Raj, Sepoy Ajay Thakur, Naik B Rajesh and Sepoy Sahibul SK.
They are accused of deserting their Army duty after falling prey to a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme called QNet. QNet is a notorious Ponzi scheme.
Fugitive and QNet connection:
According to sources, QNet lured these soldiers with lucrative payouts, promising huge profits on investing. These soldiers deserted their Army posts in a bid to earn “easy money”, thereby violating service rules.
QNet is already under scrutiny for its unethical practices and pyramid scheme structure, which often leads to financial losses for participants.
Arrest operation:
Authorities were tracking their activities for the past few months. As soon as their return to India was reported, a co-ordinated operation was carried out at the airport and they were arrested. Officials confirmed that an “apprehension roll” was issued against the absconders as part of disciplinary action.
Impact and investigation:
“This is not just a case of abscondence but also a warning about the dangers of Ponzi schemes like QNet, which lure people into giving up stable careers,” he said.
The Army is now working with law enforcement agencies to investigate the extent of their involvement in QNet and whether other members of the armed forces have been similarly targeted.
The arrested persons have been handed over to the military police and are likely to face court-martial proceedings.
The incident highlights the extent of financial fraud and its impact on organisations such as the military, making it clear there is a need for greater awareness and stricter enforcement of such schemes.
(Source based)
