Man posing as IAS officer held for conning UP policemen

A man was arrested for posing as a senior bureaucrat in the Prime Minister's Office and duping Uttar Pradesh policemen by promising them desired postings in lieu of money, officials said on Thursday.

Gaurav Mishra (30) would either pose as a senior IAS officer posted in the PMO or an IPS officer of the West Bengal cadre, they said, adding that his brother-in-law Ashutosh Rathi (34) was arrested as well.

According to police, Rathi who identified himself as a BJP leader would assure the victims of exerting pressure on government officials to get their transfers or postings done quickly, they added.

"Mishra and Rathi would use their fake identities to lure lower-rank policemen by offering them postings and transfers of their choice in return for money. Mishra has been doing this for nearly a decade and was jailed in 2012,"Senior Superintendent of Police, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Vaibhav Krishna said.

Mishra, a native of Allahabad and now staying in Ghaziabad, along with Rathi would call up the policemen in various districts of the state and offer them to get their work done in lieu of money, he told reporters.

"The matter came to light during investigation in a case lodged at Sector 20 police station on July 26," he said.

"When Rathi's phone number was tracked, it led the police team to a car parked in Sector 18 and both the accused were sitting inside. On questioning, Mishra introduced himself as an IPS officer and tried to influence the local police," Krishna said.

However, the police team further questioned the duo and after going through their mobile phones apprehended them.

Prime facie, Mishra has made Rs 8-10 lakh in the last three to four months by duping victims, the SSP said.

Both were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 179 180 419 420 (fraud), 467, 468 and 471 (all three related to forgery) and sent to jail, he said.