In a stunning case of deception within the force, a serving police sub-inspector in Pune has been arrested for allegedly acting as a proxy candidate for his brother in a recruitment examination held nearly a decade ago. The arrest was made by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Pune police, highlighting a long-pending investigation that finally saw a breakthrough.
A Nine-Year-Old Fraud Unravels
The incident dates back to April 2016, when the written examination for police recruitment was conducted. According to officials, Sub-inspector Suppadsing Shivlal Gusinge, who was posted with the Pimpri Chinchwad police, sat for the exam on behalf of his brother. While action was taken against his brother at the time, the identity of the proxy candidate remained a mystery for years, despite the availability of video footage from the examination centre.
The case saw a dramatic turn recently when the EOW revived investigations into several similar old cases. Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW) Vivek Masal explained the breakthrough. "A constable, while reviewing the video footage, pointed out the striking resemblance between the proxy candidate and Gusinge," Masal stated. This crucial observation led investigators to focus on the serving officer.
The Arrest and Admission of Guilt
Acting on this lead, a team from the EOW detained Gusinge on Monday night from the SRPF camp in Daund, where he was undergoing training. When confronted with the video evidence, the sub-inspector reportedly confessed to his involvement in the fraudulent act.
"We showed him the footage and he admitted to his involvement," DCP Masal confirmed. The police have registered a case under sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to cheating, criminal breach of trust, and forgery. As part of the ongoing investigation, authorities have seized the hard disk from Gusinge's laptop and his Aadhaar card for further scrutiny.
A Calculated Plan for Recruitment
Details emerging from the investigation reveal a calculated plan. In 2016, Gusinge's brother had appeared for the physical tests of the recruitment process. For the written examination, however, Gusinge himself took the test after allegedly forging the hall ticket. Despite the case being registered at the Shivajinagar police station and investigated by the EOW since 2016, the suspect remained at large until now.
Ironically, Gusinge had successfully cleared the police recruitment process himself at a later date and joined the state police services as a sub-inspector in 2023. His arrest from a training camp underscores the long arm of the law finally catching up, nine years after the original crime was committed.
DCP Masal added, "Our teams were investigating the case since 2016, but the suspect was never arrested." The recent proactive review of cold cases led to this significant development, sending a strong message about accountability within the system.
