Impostor cop tries to extort from ex-AIIMS dean, held

The Delhi Police arrested a 27-year-old man on November 19 for posing as a cop and attempting to extort money from a former Dean of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

AIIMS former Dean Dr Narender Mehra had approached the Crime Branch stating that he received a call from someone who identified himself as Sub-inspector Dharam Pal Singh.

This person told Mehra that a non-bailable warrant of arrest had been issued against him in a case related to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and that he must talk to public prosecutor Prakash Kumar Agnihotri, who was handling the case. Mehra was also asked to deposit Rs 72,116 in an account. Finding something amiss, Mehra approached the police.

"The accused, Shahid, is a school dropout. He made the extortion plan with the help of his friend Sandeep alias Dev, who was earlier arrested for a similar offence. Shahid posed as both the police officer as well as the public prosecutor. The police have seized the phone that he used to make the calls," said Ravindra Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch).

Shahid had also opened various bank accounts using fake identity cards and was apparently following in the footsteps of Sandeep. They used to procure details of their victims by sifting through government websites and online search engines. Shahid even used the mobile phones that Sandeep had discarded.