Lucknow: A man dressed as a Brigadier, travelling in an SUV adorned with military insignia and flanked by self-styled commandos, may have looked every bit the senior army officer he claimed to be. But a carefully laid trap by army authorities and veterans in Shahjahanpur brought the charade to an abrupt end on Friday, exposing what investigators believe was an elaborate impersonation racket.
In a quirky twist, officials noted that the accused suffers from knock knees, a physical condition that would make him ineligible for military service, making his alleged attempt to pass himself off as a decorated senior officer all the more ironic. And to cap it all, he is just 21.
The operation was the culmination of nearly two months of surveillance and intelligence gathering after reports surfaced about a suspicious individual moving around Shahjahanpur and neighbouring areas while presenting himself as a high-ranking Army officer. Acting on the inputs, Station Headquarters Shahjahanpur, led by Administrative Commandant Col JS Jaglan, worked closely with local ex-servicemen to verify the suspect’s identity and apprehend him. To lure him out, organisers invited the suspect to a function at the Shaheed Museum on the pretext of felicitating local students. As soon as he arrived, the waiting team identified and detained him along with his associates.
The accused, identified as Aryan Verma, was allegedly dressed in the uniform of a Brigadier and arrived in an SUV bearing a one-star plate and an army headquarters flag. During the operation, authorities recovered a fake Brigadier identity card, an air pistol, an AMC regimental cane and several other items resembling official military accoutrements.
Investigators also detained two men dressed in black who were allegedly posing as NSG commandos, while the driver accompanying the group was found carrying a Govt of India identity card. All four individuals, along with the seized material, were handed over to Sadar police station in Shahjahanpur for further investigation and legal action.
