Man arrested for duping hotelier of Rs 60 lakh by promising to help his son clear UPSC exams

The Malwani police arrested a man for allegedly duping a hotelier of Rs 60 lakh by promising to help his son clear the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam. The accused, along with his associate who impersonated a CID officer, tricked the victim into believing they could leverage their government connections to guarantee his son’s success.

The arrested accused, Yakub Gafur Shaikh, reportedly posed as a CID officer, while his associate, Vijay Chaudhary, who remains at large, pretended to be a senior government official. Together, they promised hotelier Irshad Khan that they could help his son—who had failed the UPSC exam thrice—clear the exam by using their supposed influence in the examination process.

According to a police officer, Khan’s son had been preparing for UPSC for over six years, but had failed on three occasions. During one of his regular visits to Khan’s hotel, Yakub introduced himself as a CID officer involved in handling significant criminal cases.

Khan shared his concerns with Yakub, explaining that his son had not been able to clear the exam despite multiple attempts. In response, Yakub claimed that his friend Vijay Chaudhary, who allegedly held a senior position as a commissioner in Delhi, had substantial influence over the UPSC process. To further assure Khan, Yakub arranged a video call with Chaudhary, who appeared in a police uniform and promised that he would help Khan’s son clear the exam.

Convinced by their promises, Khan paid a total of Rs 60 lakh to the duo over the past three months, through both cash and online transfers. However, when the UPSC results were announced, Khan’s son’s name was absent from the list of successful candidates. Realizing he had been swindled, Khan attempted to contact the accused, but they began avoiding him.

Khan filed a complaint at the Malvani police station. Upon investigation, police confirmed that Yakub Shaikh was not a CID officer and that the entire arrangement was a scam. A case of cheating and other relevant sections under the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused.

Senior Inspector Shailendra Nagarkar of Malvani police station said, “The arrested accused, Yakub Shaikh, is now in police custody. We are still on the lookout for his associate, Vijay Chaudhary, who is absconding.”