Man posing as priest held in Noida after crashing Honda Amaze car he stole day earlier

The incident took place around 9pm on Tuesday, when a team from Ecotech 3 police station responded to a call on the emergency helpline regarding an accident in Jalpura village of Greater Noida. According to the complainant, the victim had crashed the car into a tree and asked a passerby to call the police.

The police on Tuesday night arrested a man who had allegedly asked for help on the police helpline after crashing a Honda Amaze car, which according to police, he had stolen after duping a Noida citizen on Monday evening.

According to the police, the accused revealed how he duped a Noida citizen on Monday evening and fled with his Honda Amaze car. (HT File Photo / Used for representational purpose)

According to the police, the man, identified as Vikram Nath, a resident of Bisrakh village in Greater Noida west, is an impostor and he dresses up in saffron clothes to “project himself as a priest”.

The incident took place around 9pm on Tuesday, when a team from Ecotech 3 police station responded to a call on the emergency helpline regarding an accident in Jalpura village of Greater Noida. According to the complainant, the victim had crashed the car into a tree and asked a passerby to call the police.

“Our team took Nath to a nearby private hospital to get his injuries treated. However, doubts were raised when we saw him dressed in saffron attire and driving a Honda Amaze. When we verified the vehicle’s registration plate, we found that it had been stolen from Noida Sector 26 on Monday evening,” Anita Chauhan, station house officer, Ecotech 3 police station, said.

Nath was then booked under the Indian Penal Code’s sections 379 and 411 for theft and dishonestly receiving stolen property.

According to the police, during interrogation Nath revealed how he duped a Noida citizen on Monday evening and fled with his car.

“Nath approached a Noida resident who was driving the Honda Amaze opposite Kailash Hospital in Sector 27, and sat inside his car. He promised that he would double his money through his magic. Nath then demanded ₹1,500 from the resident, and in return, gave him some ash on his palm and said that it would transform into ₹3,000 in some time. Meanwhile, he asked the resident to drive further. After some time, he asked the victim to fetch him chewing tobacco from a shop in Sector 26. When the victim stepped out of the car, Nath sped off with the car. He then drove all around Noida and Greater Noida for two days,” Chauhan said.

Shaudan Singh, senior sub inspector, Sector 20 police station, said, “A case of car theft was registered on Tuesday against an unknown person. The car is registered in the name of Vidhi Goswami, and we have got to know that the suspect has been arrested.”

The suspect was presented before the magistrate and sent to jail.