Chandigarh police arrest fraudster

After a free run over the past few months duping people in Haryana posing first as an army officer and later as a senior policeman, a youth landed in the Chandigarh police's net, officials said Monday.

Police booked imposter Ravi Kant for cheating and fraud, as he had duped people in Haryana by promising to get them jobs in the army and the police, police investigations have revealed.

Kant, posing as an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from Delhi, was arrested by the Chandigarh police Saturday after a trap was laid.

An officer of the Chandigarh police, whom the fraudster had recently met, became suspicious of his claims.

Kant was driving a new Tata Safari SUV and was sporting an IPS officer's uniform when he was arrested here.

"During investigation, it came to light that Kant was impersonating as a captain from the AFMC (Armed Forces Medical College). Kant also claimed he was selected as an IPS officer and posted as additional DCP, EOW (Economic Offences Wing), Delhi, for the past two-three months. He claimed he came to Chandigarh for a course at a police training school," a Chandigarh police spokesman said Monday.

The accused admitted he took Rs.1 lakh each from two youths belonging to Mahendragarh district of Haryana, promising to get them jobs in the army or the police, the spokesman said.

In Chandigarh, while posing as an IPS officer on training, Kant also met middle-level and junior police officers besides visiting several police stations.