Man forges CISF ID card to see his son off at airport

The accused Chintan Gandhi, a businessman and a resident of the VP Road area, was apprehended at the departures section of the International Terminal also known as T2, after his forged ID card was discovered by personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)

Mumbai: How far will a father go to see his son off at an airport? A South Mumbai resident took it too far by impersonating a security officer, with a forged identity card, and set off security concerns at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Friday.

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The accused Chintan Gandhi, a businessman and a resident of the VP Road area, was apprehended at the departures section of the International Terminal also known as T2, after his forged ID card was discovered by personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

At the terminal, a sub inspector with the CISF, Sumit Singh stopped Gandhi as civilians are not allowed beyond the point unless they are flying out or have special permission. Gandhi responded by claiming that he was a CISF officer and even presented an ID card.

In his statement to the police, Singh said, “The card was made out in the name of Ramkumar, assistant sub inspector with the CISF. I examined it and it appeared to be fake. Hence, I asked him for another identification proof, which he said he did not have. I immediately alerted my superiors.”

“Gandhi told the CISF officers that his teenage son was flying abroad for studies and as he would be gone for a long time, he wanted to see him off till the boarding gate. Hence, he printed out an image of a CISF ID card from the internet and laminated it after morphing his picture on it,” said an officer with the Sahar police station.

Gandhi pleaded with authorities not to tell his son about the incident, and the CISF agreed. He was whisked away without his son’s knowledge and handed over to the Sahar police. He was subsequently booked and arrested.

Confirming the incident, senior police inspector Sanjay Govilkar said that Gandhi had been booked for cheating, forgery and impersonation under the Indian Penal Code.