The Panvel Taluka police have arrested a man who posed as a visa agent and two accomplices who impersonated policemen to con three Afghan nationals.

The case was registered on May 12 by Sayed Miskteen Sadat (27), who arrived in India along with Hasibullah Wahdat and Mohamed Muhsen through a TV firm in Kabul to secure Canadian visas. Assistant police inspector Vijay Khedkar said, “The firm had asked them to get in touch with their coordinator Jack Daniel for the visa.” A man claiming to be Mr. Daniel then told the men their visas were ready and asked them to meet his boss to collect them.

On May 11, Mr. Daniel met the men at their hotel in Belapur and booked an Ola cab to meet his boss. On their way, Mr. Daniel told the driver to stop the car near Bhokarpada village, on the old Mumbai-Pune highway, as he wanted to take a loo break. Another car pulled up behind them and two passengers started conversing with Mr. Daniel. He then told the Afghans that the two men were police officers and wanted to check their bags. The men then picked up their luggage, documents, $4,000 and ₹5 lakh in cash, and fled along with Mr. Daniel in their car.

Mr. Khedekar said that the main accused, who posed as Mr. Daniel, was Santosh Behara (35). He was arrested as he was about to leave for the Mumbai airport to board a flight to Odisha. He gave details of his accomplices, Mahesh Lokhande (39) and Suraj Kalbhaire (27), who were picked up from Panvel and Uran.

The police have recovered valuables worth ₹4.5 lakh from the accused. They have been remanded in police custody till May 17.