Youth posing as IAS officer held in Jabalpur

JABALPUR, May 1: A young man, who posed as an IAS officer under training to Additional Collector Durgesh Mishra at Katni, about 90 km from Jabalpur, was arrested under dramatic circumstanceson Sunday by the police and cooperation of certain alert personnel of the Revenue Department.

The 26-year-old who gave his name as Mahendrakumar Choubey was arrested on charges of forgery and cheating. Choubey was arrested after certain officers of the personnel department became suspicious of him. Arrangements had been made for Choubey’s stay at the Katni circuit house following an instruction from Mishra. He told Mishra that his luggage had been stolen on the train enroute to Katni. But his language and behaviour gave him away. According to the police, Mahendra Choubey is an unemployed youth who is not even a matriculate.

Police found a fake identity card of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Administrative Academy, Mussoorie bearing his name, photo and the seal of the Academy on him. They also found an attache-case containing some false documents, letterheads and fake rubber seals.

He told the police that the fake rubber seal of the Academy was prepared by him at Satna while he obtained the Academy’s letter-pad with the help of one of its employees. Cases under Sections 419, 467 and 468 of the Indian Penal Code have been registered against the youth. Further investigation is in progress.