Gujarat man poses as BJP chief Nadda’s aide, tries to dupe Maharashtra MLA

An accomplice posed as Nadda and asked MLA Vikas Kumbhare to arrange food for a BJP event at Baroda, according to police

“The MLA received the first call on May 7 and Rathod said he was a personal assistant of the BJP chief and subsequently offered him the post of the urban development minister,” a police officer said. (Deputy CMO)

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The Nagpur police have arrested a man from Gujarat for allegedly posing as BJP chief J P Nadda’s personal assistant and trying to defraud a Maharashtra MLA by offering to secure a ministerial berths for him.

Neeraj Singh Rathod, who hails from the neighbouring state’s Morbi district, was arrested after MLA Vikas Kumbhare lodged a police complaint. “The MLA received the first call on May 7 and Rathod said he was a personal assistant of the BJP chief and subsequently offered him the post of the urban development minister,” a police officer said.

Rathod is alleged to have contacted Kumbhare around five times in the past ten days. In one such conversation, an accomplice of Rathod allegedly posed as Nadda himself and asked him to arrange food for a BJP event at Baroda in Gujarat. The MLA was further asked to pay a bill of Rs 1.67 lakh, according to police.

A police team went to Gujarat and arrested Rathod under Indian Penal Code sections related to cheating and cheating by impersonation on Tuesday.

Rathod is learnt to have similarly contacted three other Maharashtra MLAs—Tekchand Savarkar, Tanaji Mutkule and Narayan Kuche—as well as two Goa and Nagaland legislators and offered them ministerial berths.

“They may have contacted and tried to dupe more MLAs. We are also trying to ascertain whether anyone else is involved in the racket,” said a police officer.

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