Bhadrak: Odisha Police Friday arrested a man on charges of impersonating a police officer, an army officer and a Railway Protection Force personnel, officials said.
The man identified as Rahul S Ranawat, a resident of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, was picked up from a hotel here with fake uniforms, insignia, and a vehicle modified to resemble a police car.
The arrest followed suspicion over a Jharkhand-registered vehicle parked near the hotel for several days.
“On inspection, we found that the car was illegally fitted with police insignia and siren lights,” a senior police officer said.
Further inquiry led to the seizure of a firearm and 38 law enforcement-related items, including uniforms of the Assam and Jharkhand Police, badges, and other paraphernalia, he said.
Police said Ranawat introduced himself as an officer from various forces—at times claiming to be an assistant superintendent of police (ASP), and at other times posing as an army or RPF officer.
“This is a rare and novel case of fraud,” said Additional SP Arup Abhishek Behera at a press conference here.
“The accused is a conman who systematically misused the identity and authority associated with multiple uniformed services. He has been produced before court, and a detailed investigation is underway to uncover the full scope of his activities and any possible accomplices,” he said.
Police are currently probing how long Ranawat had been operating in Odisha and whether he used these fake identities to gain money, favours, or sensitive information.
PTI
