Lucknow: UP Police have arrested a man who had been impersonating an IAS officer to mislead the public. The accused was apprehended by Wazirganj Police during a routine check near Kargil Shaheed Park on Wednesday.
When his vehicle was stopped, he attempted to assert his authority by claiming to be an IAS officer. However, upon further questioning, the deception was quickly uncovered after his behaviour raised suspicion.
The accused has been identified as 36-year-old Saurabh Tripathi, a resident of Gautam Buddha Nagar and a native of Mau district. According to the investigation, Tripathi had been posing as a fake IAS officer for an extended period and was wnjoying the perks of a senior bureaucrat.
Police recovered multiple luxury vehicles, fake government documents, official car passes, and blue beacon lights from his possession. Further investigation is currently underway.
The probe revealed that Tripathi had attended several high-profile events while posing as an IAS officer. He was also operating a social media account under the username @Saurabh_IAAS. Police have since had the account taken down.
Tripathi also used to display number plates on his vehicles bearing the words ‘Government of India’. Tripathi is a B.Tech graduate by qualification.
A deatiled probe has been lauched to probe his network and contacts. A case has been registered against him under various sections.
To intimidate people and reinforce his deception, Tripathi would travel with personal bodyguards. One of them was even seen wearing a police uniform.
Posted Pictures With Influential People
Tripathi had reportedly shared photos on social media with religious storyteller Prem Bhushan Maharaj, as well as with several ministers and senior officials. This further reinforced the public’s belief that he held a high-ranking government position.
