For four years, a 35-year-old conman in Bihar’s Araria rode his luck, allegedly cheating many people including government officers, impersonating as a deputy collector. On Tuesday, his luck ran out after a police officer called his bluff.

The conman Sunil Kumar Paswan, a contract teacher of government middle school in Araria, 320 km northeast of Patna, had also been drawing salary without attending school, police said. He landed the contract more than five years ago.

Paswan, who intimidated the government officers for about four years continued with his chicanery until he ran into Araria circle officer (CO) Ashok Kumar Singh on Tuesday. Singh got suspicious when Paswan showed his forged identity card claiming himself to be a nodal officer. Singh immediately informed his seniors. Police officers who came following Singh’s warning, nabbed Paswan.

On being interrogated, Paswan told police that he was a serving contract teacher posted at a middle school in Araria. Police raided his house and seized several forged documents carrying forged signatures of several officers including the district magistrate.

“The conman posing as deputy collector often used to visit circle and block development offices and often occupied the officers’ chairs,” a police officer probing his case, said. Paswan continued to draw his salary without attending his duties at the school he was posted.

Araria sub divisional officer (SDPO) K D Singh said, “On the basis of the FIR lodged by Araria circle officer Ashok Kumar Singh, police are probing the matter.” He said, even after his arrest, Paswan continued to change his statements and tried to mislead the police and district officers.

Later it came to light that Paswan continued to draw salary on the basis of forged papers of his deputation at the office of district magistrate.

Police said that the Paswan was a regular chief guest at several government and private events where he distributed medals and certificates to other senior government officials. Some of the government officers admitted that they had shared information of the office and department with him. The secret information allegedly helped him cheat hundreds of people including government employees and teachers, police said.

First Published: Jul 24, 2019 17:12 IST