Bhubaneswar police arrested two men from Haryana on Sunday for attempting to impersonate high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and simulate VIP movements using a convoy of police pilot vehicles.
The accused, Choudhury Rinku Saini, 36, from Karnal, and Maninder Singh, 39, from Sonipat, allegedly posed as officials of a fictitious central ministry commission. Saini claimed to be the national chairman of the non-existent Social Justice and Women Empowerment Commission, while Singh acted as his personal assistant, according to Commissioner of Police S Dev Datta Singh.
The fraud came to light after the duo sent a letter to Odisha Police on October 2, requesting police escort vehicles for a detailed VIP itinerary for Saini’s supposed visit on October 3–4. The itinerary included arrival at Biju Patnaik International Airport, visits to Lingaraj, Mukteswar, and Rajarani temples, and an overnight stay at a five-star hotel.
Police grew suspicious because the commission Saini claimed to represent does not exist under either the MHA or the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. Verification with the MHA confirmed no such letter had been issued. Further checks revealed that Saini held no government position, and the identification cards and letters he presented were forged, with multiple inconsistencies in his claimed designation.
The police set a trap at Bhubaneswar airport and arrested the duo upon arrival. Commissioner Singh noted that Saini had previously been involved in fraud cases in Haryana, and the authorities are now investigating their full modus operandi and criminal history.
“The accused impersonated senior government officials and used counterfeit documents with the intent to deceive, potentially defrauding several people on false promises,” the commissioner said. Citizens who may have been cheated by the accused have been urged to report to their nearest police station or contact the Maitree Vihar police station.
