Man held for posing as Gurugram police officer, extorting money

The suspect, dressed in a counterfeit police uniform, was arrested from a bus stand outside the Millennium City Centre Gurugram metro station

A 24-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly impersonating a police officer in Gurugram and extorting money from commercial vehicles outside Millennium City Centre Gurugram station, officers said on Friday.

Police lodged a case under sections 171 (wearing garb or carrying a token used by a public servant with fraudulent intent) and 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code against the man. (FILE)

The suspect, identified as Anshul Singh, a resident of Uchana in Jind, was arrested after officers at the Sector 29 police station received a tip-off.

Varun Dahiya, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said that a few cab drivers had complained to the police last week in this regard, after which a team was formed and raids conducted.

The suspect, dressed in a counterfeit police uniform, was arrested from a bus stand outside the Millennium City Centre Gurugram metro station.

“The suspect had been coercing car drivers and two-wheeler riders to pay him some money for the waiting period. Surprisingly, none of the victims had reported the incidents to the police, assuming the imposter was a genuine sub-inspector of Gurugram police,” he said.

Dahiya said Singh had started harassing and misbehaving with the auto-rickshaw drivers and bike riders. “He did not allow to park vehicles of those who did not pay him. Upon receiving the information, we set up a trap and successfully arrested the suspect red-handed while he was extorting money,” he said.

Police said during questioning, the suspect revealed that he aspired to be a police officer but could not clear written exams after which he started working in a Faridabad court under the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam, but he was not satisfied with this work. “He did not like his job and to fulfil his dreams, he got a police uniform stitched and started extorting money last month. Further probe in the matter is underway,” said Dahiya.

Police said a case was registered under sections 171 (wearing garb or carrying a token used by a public servant with fraudulent intent) and 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code at Sector 29 police station. He was presented before a magistrate and subsequently remanded in judicial custody, said police.