Ahmedabad, Aug 22 (IANS) A Physical Training Instructor (PTI) associated with Gujarat College has been arrested in Kutch district for allegedly taking money from students by promising to secure them jobs in the Indian Air Force and selection in state-level cricket teams, police said on Saturday.

Police arrested the accused, identified as 41-year-old Pragnesh Barhat, in Anjar, Kutch district, around 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

Police said he had allegedly gained the trust of around 20 students while working as a PTI at Gujarat College and subsequently collected money from them on the pretext of arranging employment and sports opportunities.

Police said Barhat had used 10 mobile phone numbers and changed around seven handsets while allegedly evading detection.

Police officials said transactions involving around Rs 4.48 lakh had so far been traced to students allegedly affected by the scheme.

According to officials, the police station’s Surveillance Squad traced Barhat to Anjar after placing his movements under surveillance.

Police Inspector K.M. Bhuva supervised the operation, with PSI P.B. Chaudhary, in-charge of the Surveillance Squad, and other personnel involved in tracing and arresting him.

Police arrested Barhat in connection with the Ellisbridge Police Station case under Section 316(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police subsequently obtained his remand for further investigation.

Police said Barhat allegedly used his contacts with students to promise Air Force recruitment and selection in state-level cricket teams.

Investigators are examining the financial transactions and are also looking into whether more students may have been approached or defrauded.

The case is not the first registered against Barhat, police say. Police records list previous cases at B-Division Police Station in Rajkot City, Infocity Police Station in Gandhinagar, Nakhatrana Police Station in Kutch district and Gandhigram-2 University Police Station in Rajkot.

The cases involve allegations of cheating and related offences under various provisions of the BNS. Police said Barhat has studied up to PhD level and has cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) and Gujarat State Eligibility Test (GSET).

The latest arrest follows directions issued to police to trace habitual offenders involved in cheating and breach-of-trust cases. Further investigation into the present case is underway.

–IANS

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