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In a joint operation based on inputs from the Military Intelligence (MI) unit of the Pune-headquartered Southern Command, the Ahmednagar district police have arrested a 35-year-old for posing as an officer of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) — the country’s foreign intelligence agency.
We are investigating if the impersonator was trying to gain access to any sensitive establishments or was involved in cheating people using the fake identity on the pretext of providing them jobs, said officials. The sleuths from the MI unit were working on an input that a suspect, posing as a RAW officer, was moving around in Ahmednagar, which has several sensitive defence establishments such as the Armoured Corps Centre and School, Mechanised Infantry Centre and School, and Vehicle Research and Development Establishment.
A joint operation was executed near Professor Chowk in Ahmednagar city’s Savedi area around 8.30 pm on Thursday night, when a team comprising officials from the Local Crime Branch of the Ahmednagar police and sleuths from the MI zeroed in on the man. After preliminary questioning, he was detained.
Police have also recovered a forged identity card with the name “Santosh Rathod”, organisation Research and Analysis Wing, and his designation as the deputy secretary (internal security). The card had a signature of an “issuing” authority as well. Based on a voter identity card and Aadhaar card seized from his possession, police have identified the suspect as Santosh Atmaram Rathod (35), a resident of Divate village in Ahmednagar district’s Shevgaon taluka. According to officials, Rathod is unemployed and is believed to have introduced himself as a RAW officer to many people.
“We have received information that Rathod may have cheated several people on the pretext of giving them jobs in government organisations using the fake designation. We are investigating whether he was trying to gain access to sensitive establishments in Ahmednagar and outside, using his fake identity,” said an officer from the Ahmednagar crime branch, who is investigating the case. Rathod has been booked under relevant Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to forgery, forgery for cheating, impersonating as a public servant, wearing garb and carrying a token as public servant.
Many cases of fraudsters, posing as Army and defence personnel, are being investigated by the police jurisdictions in Pune, Ahmednagar, and Nashik over the last few years, following inputs from the MI. Many posing as Army officers or personnel, posting photos in Army uniforms online have been arrested in such cases.