An alleged high-level impersonation case has taken on an international dimension, with Sambhajinagar police informing a local court that a woman arrested for posing as an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was in contact with an individual based in Islamabad, Pakistan, and maintained close links with an Afghan national residing in India.
The accused, Kalpana Trimbakrao Bhagwat (45), a former senior assistant at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (BAMU), was arrested on Sunday for allegedly forging identity documents, fabricating an IAS appointment letter, and staying at a star hotel for nearly six months using a tampered Aadhaar card.
Investigators said Bhagwat was frequently in touch with Yama Ghalif, based in Islamabad, who is the brother of her Afghan associate Mohammad Ashraf Khil, a Delhi resident for the past seven years. Call detail records (CDRs) revealed multiple exchanges with the Pakistan-based number, though much of the chat history was allegedly deleted.
While seeking 10 days of police custody, investigators informed the court through a remand report that the communication pattern, unexplained financial transactions, and extensive travel history raised “serious concerns” about possible foreign links. The court remanded Bhagwat to police custody till December 5.
According to police inspector Yogesh Gaikwad, Khil had shared screenshots of Pakistan visa applications for his brother and other relatives, along with messages referring to “deals” in Pakistan. Other messages indicated travel between Afghanistan and India. Police described the content of these communications as suspicious and said they require deeper scrutiny.
Police further revealed that Bhagwat received Rs32.68 lakh in her bank account between January 1 and November 21, 2025, from multiple individuals. A major red flag was the recovery of two cheques from her hotel room—one for Rs19 crore from a nationalised bank and another for Rs6 lakh from a private bank. Notices under Section 179 have been issued to individuals who deposited large sums into her account.
During a search of hotel room 322, where Bhagwat stayed for nearly four months, police recovered a five-page photocopy titled “Appointment in the Indian Administrative Service on the basis of Civil Services Examination 2017”, bearing her name at serial number 333. Investigators believe the document is forged. A letter purportedly written by a former vice-chancellor endorsing Bhagwat as an IAS officer was also seized and is under verification.
Despite having no declared source of income, police said Bhagwat spent nearly Rs6.96 lakh on hotel accommodation alone, making payments through credit cards, UPI, and cash.
CDR analysis also revealed extensive travel to Jaipur, Udaipur, other parts of Rajasthan, Delhi, and Manipur, where she allegedly met several unidentified individuals. Police are probing the purpose of these visits.
Before her arrest, Bhagwat had abruptly resigned from BAMU, claiming she had cleared the UPSC examination and been appointed to the IAS. Colleagues said she left after informing staff of her alleged selection.
Given the suspected Pakistan and Afghanistan links, central intelligence and security agencies have initiated a parallel probe. Officials said the case now involves a sensitive international angle, including possible misuse of forged identity documents and an unexplained money trail.
The FIR, registered on November 23 at the CIDCO police station, invokes sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 339, and 214 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for offences allegedly committed between June 22 and November 22, 2025. Police also revealed that Bhagwat had saved a Delhi-based contact as ‘OSD to HM’, though the phone was switched off when investigators attempted to verify it.
Her police custody was extended by 10 days on November 26 after forensic analysis of her mobile phone revealed 11 international contacts, including numbers saved as “Peshawar cantonment board,” “Afghan embassy,” and similar aliases. Investigators are now examining the purpose and frequency of these communications.
