In a significant breakthrough in the alleged Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) recruitment scam in West Bengal, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested the alleged mastermind behind the fraudulent scheme.

The arrest comes after a Calcutta High Court order on August 2, 2023, prompted the CBI to launch an investigation into the allegations of undeserving candidates receiving CAPF appointments using forged domicile certificates.

The arrested individual, identified as Mahesh Kumar Choudhary, a Sepoy at the Engineering Store Depot (ESD) in Kanikinara, North 24 Parganas, is accused of orchestrating a racket that provided fake West Bengal domicile certificates, including those claiming residency in border or Naxal-affected districts.

Choudhary’s name was already listed in the initial FIR, which also named Raju Gupta and other unknown individuals.

CBI investigations revealed Choudhary’s central role in the scam, showing he collected substantial sums of money from candidates, directly and through intermediaries.

Following searches at multiple locations, Choudhary was apprehended on January 31, 2024. He was presented before the CBI Court No 1 in Alipore and has been remanded to five days of police custody. The CBIs investigation is underway.