In a rare case of impersonation and fraud, Odisha Police on Friday arrested a man for posing as multiple law enforcement officers, including a police ASP, army officer, and a Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel.
The accused, Rahul S Ranawat, a resident of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, was arrested from a hotel in Odisha after being found with fake uniforms, badges, and a vehicle illegally modified to look like a police car.
Suspicious Vehicle Led to Arrest
Police began investigating after noticing a Jharkhand-registered vehicle parked suspiciously outside a hotel for several days. Upon inspection, officials discovered that the car was fitted with police sirens and insignia without authorization.
“A deeper search of the vehicle and the suspect’s belongings led to the recovery of a firearm and 38 items related to law enforcement, including uniforms from Assam and Jharkhand Police, fake ID cards, and badges,” said a senior police official.
Multiple Fake Identities
Rahul Ranawat allegedly introduced himself under different identities to various people—posing at times as:
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)
Army officer
Railway Protection Force (RPF) official
“This is a rare and novel case of fraud involving the impersonation of multiple law enforcement authorities,” said Additional SP Arup Abhishek Behera during a press conference.
Current Status
Rahul S Ranawat is in police custody, and a case has been registered under appropriate sections related to impersonation, illegal possession of weapons, and forgery. Police are further investigating his motives and whether he used these fake identities to commit additional crimes or extort money.
