Man arrested for posing as cop to extort money

Lucknow: A man who deceived his in-laws by posing as a police officer and accepting a hefty dowry was arrested on Tuesday night after being caught extorting money from commuters while in uniform.
The accused, Pramod Kumar Pandey, had attempted multiple police recruitment exams but failed. In 2023, he falsely claimed to have cleared the sub-inspector recruitment exam, and his family celebrated his "achievement." Soon, marriage proposals started pouring in, and his family arranged his wedding with a woman from a nearby village, police said.
An officer familiar with the investigation revealed that Pandey had created a fake police ID card, a forged appointment letter, and an oath certificate, saving them on his mobile phone to convince anyone who doubted his credentials. His confident demeanor and knowledge of police procedures made it easy for him to fool his in-laws.
On Nov 16, 2024, he married the unsuspecting woman in a lavish ceremony. His in-laws, believing their daughter was marrying a govt officer, presented him a brand-new car and Rs 10 lakh in cash, along with other valuables.
Pandey's deception unravelled when police received complaints about a man in uniform extorting money from commuters near the Dadara railway crossing in Musafirkhana, Amethi. A police team arrived at the scene and found him stopping bikers and acting authoritatively. When questioned, he initially tried to mislead officers, claiming he was just asking for a ride home.
However, when asked about his posting, he fumbled. He also failed to provide a valid PNO (Personnel Number). Growing suspicious, officers interrogated him further, and he eventually confessed to impersonating an officer for extortion and personal gain.
During the investigation, police discovered that Pandey had infiltrated multiple police WhatsApp groups, not just in Amethi but also in Agra and Raebareli.
SHO Vivek Singh confirmed that Pandey was arrested, and a case was filed based on a complaint by sub-inspector Rajesh Kumar Dixit of Musafirkhana police station. He was sent to judicial remand, and further investigations are underway.