In a startling case of prolonged deception, a 35-year-old man from Ranchi, who repeatedly failed the prestigious UPSC civil services examination, fabricated an entire career as a senior government officer to satisfy his family's aspirations. For seven long years, Rajesh Kumar lived a double life, convincing his loved ones he was a successful Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and later an Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service (IPTAFS) officer. His elaborate charade finally crumbled this weekend when alert police officers in Jharkhand's Palamu district saw through his lies.
The Suspicious Mediator and the Unraveling Lie
The incident came to light on Friday when Rajesh Kumar approached the Hussainabad police station posing as a 2014-batch IAS officer from the Odisha cadre. His stated purpose was to mediate in a local land dispute. However, the station in-charge grew suspicious during casual questioning about his postings. Rajesh claimed to have served in Dehradun, Hyderabad, and Bhubaneswar. When the officer found it unusual for an IAS officer to have worked in multiple states in such a manner, Rajesh abruptly changed his story.
He then claimed to be an officer of the Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service (IPTAFS), selected by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Following this inconsistent testimony, he quickly left the police station. The concerned station in-charge immediately reported the matter to the Hussainabad sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) for further investigation.
Police Probe Exposes Seven-Year-Old Deception
A preliminary verification revealed that Rajesh Kumar was not an IPTAFS officer as he claimed. The police summoned him back to the station and formally asked him to produce his identity card, appointment letter, and other official documents. He failed to provide any legitimate credentials. Under sustained questioning, his fabricated world collapsed.
Rajesh confessed to the police that he had been living as a fake officer for the past seven years. He revealed that his father had always harbored a dream of seeing him become an IAS officer. After failing to clear the UPSC civil services exam in four consecutive attempts, Rajesh could not bear to disappoint his family. Instead of confronting the truth, he concocted an elaborate lie, telling his father, family members, and relatives that he had succeeded in becoming an IPTAFS officer. To maintain this illusion, he acquired fake identity cards and even used a car with an official-looking board fixed on it.
Legal Repercussions and Seized Evidence
The Palamu police have registered a case against Rajesh Kumar under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections 204, 205, 336(2), 336(3), 337, 339, and 340(2). These sections pertain to offenses like destruction of evidence, false personation, and acts endangering life or personal safety. The police seized fake identity cards, a mobile phone, and the car he used to bolster his false persona.
This case highlights the immense societal and familial pressure associated with cracking India's top civil services exams. While Rajesh's methods were fraudulent and illegal, they stemmed from a desperate attempt to meet overwhelming expectations. The investigation is ongoing as authorities look into whether he used his fake identity for other gains during his seven-year deception.
