The Local Crime Branch in Latur has apprehended Vijay Aniruddha Kadam, a resident of Parbhani, for allegedly duping multiple victims by impersonating a police officer. The accused was caught after a tip-off near New Renapur Naka, and police recovered Rs4.3 lakh in cash from him.
According to officials, Kadam tracked theft cases reported in newspapers, obtained victims’ contact numbers, and approached them posing as a police officer. To gain their trust, he presented a video purporting to show himself attending a UPSC interview and prepared fake documents, including a forged panchnama with a false identity. He promised to recover stolen valuables and extracted large sums of money from his victims.
In one case on March 19, a complainant from Ahmedpur was duped of Rs5 lakh after being assured recovery of stolen gold. Kadam admitted to committing similar frauds over the past two years across Nanded and Parbhani districts. While he had already spent Rs70,000, the police recovered the remaining Rs4.3 lakh.
Authorities are coordinating across districts to probe his involvement in other cases. A case has been registered against him at Ahmedpur Police Station under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the Latur police have urged citizens to remain vigilant and verify identities before trusting anyone claiming to be a police officer.
