Middle-aged man held for cheating job-seekers by posing as ACP

A 54-year-old photocopy centre operator was arrested from suburban Borivli today for allegedly posing as a senior police officer and duping unemployed youths to the tune of several lakhs by promising them government jobs, an official said.
The accused, identified as Lalit Sawant, a Borivli resident, was picked up by the sleuths of Unit-11 of the crime branch.
Sawant, who runs a photocopy centre in the western suburb, was allegedly operating the fake job racket since 2012, the official said.
Explaining the modus operandi of Sawant, the official said the accused used to tap unemployed men by posing as an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) and promise them jobs with Maharashtra Police, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Railways.

Sawant allegedly used to take Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh from unemployed youths.
He said the victims fell into Sawant's trap, as he used to send them appointment letters, which later turned out to be fake, and call them to appear for medical fitness tests.

Sawant has cheated unemployed men from almost every district of Maharashtra, according to the official.
"We have arrested an accused who cheated unemployed men for lakhs by assuring government jobs," said Nisar Tamboli, DCP (Detection-1).
He said police recovered the uniform, generally warn by an ACP-rank officer, from the accused.
"The uniform and badges are genuine," Tamboli added.

As per preliminary investigation, the accused cheated 60 people for Rs 50 lakh, he said.
"However, the exact number of the victims will be known after a detailed interrogation," the officer said.
Sawant was produced in a local court which remanded him in police custody till February 9.
Tamboli said that further investigation was underway.
Another official said three more cases of cheating were lodged against Sawant at Vasai, Mira Road and Kashimira police stations in the last four years.