An official spokesperson said the police recovered 29 Aadhaar cards, fake document sets of 48 individuals and Rs eight lakh from their possession.

Sixty-eight attestation and official stamps were also recovered. These stamps are of different official designations like those of SHOs, tehsildars, municipal councillors, the spokesperson said.

"In the last five years, this gang has secured recruitment of 26 individuals in the Sikh, J&K and Artillery regiments by preparing fake caste and residential proof certificates. They used to charge Rs three-five lakh from every individual for the recruitment process," the spokesperson added.

"Clerks of the Army recruiting centres in Patiala, Ferozpur and Ludhiana were hand in glove with these perpetrators, who, after taking their cut, verified the fake documents."

Initial investigations revealed that Yogesh of Salem Tabri, Ludhiana is the kingpin of this gang, which has, in the last five years, prepared fake documents of nearly 150 individuals hailing from Haryana.

"Aspirants from Haryana were roped in by Manjeet and Sunil of Jind as there is less competition in Army recruitment in Punjab. Both Manjeet and Sunil, who run an Army recruitment training academy in Jind, have also been arrested," he added.

Two other persons, Manoj and Amit of Ferozepur, used to provide recruits to Yogesh from the districts of Fazilka, Moga, Faridkot and Ferozepur.

"Names of several Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) posted in Ludhiana, Gwalior, Ferozepur and Bhuvneshwar have figured in the questioning of the suspects. These NCOs used to be a link between the recruiting authorities and the aspirants willing to join the Army," the spokesperson said.