In a shocking case of impersonation, Uttam More, a dismissed police constable, was arrested by Azad Maidan Police for extorting Rs8,400 from a paan vendor in Mumbai. The accused, who was dismissed from police service in 2008, approached 40-year-old Suresh Ramdev Barai, a paan vendor operating near Dhobi Talao on December 30, 2024.
Pretending to be a Crime Branch officer, More showed Barai a fake police ID and questioned him about his business license. He then took Barai into a taxi, claiming he would be taken to the Crime Branch office. During the ride, More convinced Barai to transfer Rs8,400 via Google Pay to a taxi driver’s account.
Following the transfer, More directed the driver to Bhaykhala, where the driver withdrew the ₹Rs,400 from his Google Pay account. After the incident, Barai filed a complaint, leading to an investigation by Azad Maidan Police. The authorities traced More’s involvement through the taxi driver and arrested him from his residence in Dombivli.
This fraudulent act was not the first for More, who had multiple FIRs filed against him in various police stations across Mumbai. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the case.