Delhi-based conman, aide held for impersonating officials & defrauding bizmen & politicians
The conman frequently posed as an IAS officer, PCS officer, vice-chancellor of a private varsity in Delhi, and even the CM’s security officer.
Lucknow The U.P. Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a Delhi-based conman, Arvind Tripathi, known by aliases such as “Ganesh” and “Guru Ji,” and his accomplice, Rama Shankar Gupta, also known as Ashish Kumar Gupta. The arrests come after multiple reports of their fraudulent activities, where they leveraged purported political influence and connections within the bureaucracy. Senior police officials confirmed the arrests on Sunday.
In a press release shared with the media, STF’s additional superintendent of police (ASP), Vishal Vikram Singh, disclosed that Arvind Tripathi, commonly referred to as “Guru Ji,” had orchestrated Yoga and spirituality camps, enabling him to establish connections with prominent business figures, contractors, bureaucrats, and senior politicians. Meanwhile, his accomplice, Ashish Kumar Gupta, frequently impersonated an IAS officer, PCS officer, chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s security officer, and even adopted the identity of a vice-chancellor at a private university in Delhi.
The duo further claimed affiliations with high-ranking officials in the Prime Minister’s office. Gupta, it was revealed, had issued honorary doctorate degrees to various individuals through his connections with the chairman of a private social research university in New Delhi.
ASP Singh detailed that “Guru Ji” would often disguise himself as a Yoga and spiritual Guru, occasionally posing as a practicing lawyer in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Gupta maintained a façade as a bureaucrat, with his private driver dressed as a Pradeshik Rakshak Dal (PRD) jawan and traveling alongside private security guards outfitted to resemble government security personnel.
Singh noted that the fraudulent pair possessed multiple identities and visiting cards, along with dual Aadhaar cards under different names, all of which were recovered from their possession. The duo had cultivated relationships with several senior bureaucrats and politicians within their social circles, using photographs with these individuals to bolster their claims.
The ASP revealed that their fraudulent activities primarily involved defrauding businessmen, A-grade government contractors, government officials, and politicians. They offered various assurances, including securing government contracts, influencing transfers and postings, providing employment opportunities, and even ensuring parliamentary and legislative assembly seats for candidates from different political parties.
Both individuals were arrested on Basmandi Road, situated within the jurisdiction of the Vibhuti Khand police station, on a Saturday evening. They were subsequently remanded to custody on Sunday. Arvind Tripathi hails from Ashok Vihar, New Delhi, while his accomplice, Ashish Kumar Gupta, is a resident of Pilibhit, though he had been residing in the Aliganj police station’s jurisdiction in Lucknow for several years.
Gupta had also amassed significant sums of money by organising training sessions for scouts and guides, along with guaranteeing employment to unemployed young individuals. The duo now faces multiple charges, including Section 170 for impersonating as a bureaucrat or public servant, 419 for cheating by impersonation, 420 for fraud, 467 for forging documents, 468 for using forged documents for cheating, 471 (using forged documents as genuine), and 120-B for criminal conspiracy, as outlined in the FIR registered at the Vibhuti Khand police station.
Recommended Topics