Berhampur: Berhampur police have arrested a man allegedly masquerading both as an Indian Army personnel and a Gujarat Police officer.
The accused has been identified as Raju Santra (40). He claimed that he was from Wagha Border in Punjab, which is being verified by police.
According to sources, Santra was apprehended on April 28 after alert citizens spotted him loitering suspiciously in full military attire in Gandhi Nagar area here.
During interrogation, he claimed to be on duty with the Indian Army, stationed at Gopalpur cantonment. However, his inability to provide verifiable identity documents and a dubious Gujarat Police ID card raised red flags. The ID, emblazoned with the words ‘Gujarat Police, Raju Santra’ and bearing his photograph, was later found to be fake.
Further verification revealed that he was in no way linked to either the Army or Gujarat Police. He donned the uniform to avail concessions in travel fares in trains and buses and solicit money from unsuspecting people. He has been booked Sections 336(2) (forgery) 319(2) (cheating by personation) and 318(4) (cheating).
With his identity unverifiable and no supporting documentation presented, Santra was treated as ‘unidentified’ by the court following his arrest and has been remanded to judicial custody, the sources added.
