Two fake cops try to flaunt ID to real policeman, arrested

As per the police, a traffic constable – Pravin Mahale – was posted on towing duty at road number 32, Wadala, and was towing two-wheelers when a biker questioned him. “The biker argued with constable Mahale and told him that he was a police officer and flashed his identity card hurriedly,” said Dr Pravin Munde, DCP, Zone IV.

Mumbai: Two people, who allegedly posed as police officers and cheated others, were arrested on Friday at Dadar East and police uniforms, fake identity cards, nameplates, handcuffs as well as a baton were seized from them.

When Mahale questioned the man about the difference in his facial features and the photo on the identity card, the man claimed that the identity card belonged to his brother who was in the police department. The constable, however, doubted that claim as well and brought the accused to the nearby RAK Marg police station. (HT PHOTO)

The accused have been identified as Abdul Hamid Shaikh, 54, and Sunny Irfan Bhavekar, 42.

As per the police, a traffic constable – Pravin Mahale – was posted on towing duty at road number 32, Wadala, and was towing two-wheelers when a biker questioned him. “The biker argued with constable Mahale and told him that he was a police officer and flashed his identity card hurriedly,” said Dr Pravin Munde, DCP, Zone IV.

“After Mahale scanned the card attentively, he noticed a few things, like the serial number is mostly five digits, however on this card it was six digits and it also mentioned the batch number, which is not usually mentioned on the identity card of officers. Besides, he noticed that the photo on the card and the face of the person did not match,” said a police officer from RAK Marg police station.

When Mahale questioned the man about the difference in his facial features and the photo on the identity card, the man claimed that the identity card belonged to his brother who was in the police department. The constable, however, doubted that claim as well and brought the accused to the nearby RAK Marg police station.

When questioned by the RAK Marg police, the accused revealed his name was Shaikh – a resident of the Antop Hill area and the identity card belonged to his friend – Bhavekar, also a resident of the same area.

When Bhavekar was brought to the police station, the police found that he didn’t do anything for earning a living and he too had a nameplate on his door, identifying himself as a police officer. He even gave speeches in public posing as a policeman.

“We have found some applications of aspirants who wished to join the police force at Bhavekar’s residence and suspect that he has accepted money from the candidates, by promising them jobs in the police force. He has stitched the dress in 2019 from a police tailor showing him the forged identity card and since then, we suspect, he is roaming around posing as a police officer from a special branch or the crime branch,” said Annasaheb Gadekar, assistant police inspector of RAK Marg Police Station.

“Bhavekar has every accessory that a policeman uses like a white-coloured helmet, brown shoes etc,” added Gadekar. “Earlier he worked as a driver.”