Indian Army arrests 21-year-old fake brigadier in UP at Shahjahanpur; here's what we know

The Indian Army recently launched a sophisticated sting operation in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur and nabbed a 21-year-old man who allegedly posed as a senior military official and was wearing military uniform.

Hindustan Times reported on Saturday that Indian Army personnel had laid an elaborate trap to nab a fake brigadier general who was allegedly traveling around Shahjahanpur and surrounding districts posing as a senior army official in brigade uniform.

Here’s what we know

The accused has been identified as Aryan Verma. Quoting officials, the report added that there were several leads about his movement in and around the city in military uniform and army officials had been tracking him since April. Verma, who always wanted to present himself as a senior official dressed as a brigadier general, was invited by army officials posing as civilians to talk to and motivate young candidates preparing for recruitment exams. A mock program was also organized at Shaheed Museum in Shahjahanpur Cantonment area.

On Friday morning, the 21-year-old turned up at the scene and put on a brigade uniform in an SUV, after which he was immediately detained. According to officials, Verma’s uniform was decorated with military stars and flags associated with senior officers.

The accused had a driver and bodyguards

Verma’s arrest revealed the extent of the scam he allegedly ran. Authorities obtained a counterfeit government identification card from his driver at the time of his arrest. Investigators also found that he routinely traveled with two bodyguards, whom the prosecution said he posed as National Security Guard (NSG) commandos. By portraying himself as a senior military official, Verma allegedly claimed that he had been assigned special security protection.

Along with his uniform, the 21-year-old also had a fake pistol and a regimental baton to complete his ruse, all of which were confiscated from him. He even had an ID with him, which allegedly had the seal of the dean of the College of Military Medicine. Officials suspect that the identity card was also forged.

What did the officials find?

After getting his documents, officials found that Verma was 21 years old and a resident of Delhi. He was allegedly preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), an entrance exam to study medicine, and allegedly failed the test several times.

However, the motive behind Verma’s act of impersonating an army official remains unclear. The Army Intelligence Team from Bareilly has now taken over the investigation and is trying to ascertain the same. They are also trying to understand the extent of Verma’s ruse, how he got the fake ID and uniform and whether more people were involved in the crime.

Verma is currently being questioned by army officials. After completing the interrogation, he will be taken to police custody where a First Information Report (FIR) will be registered and a detailed investigation will be launched, Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit said.

Officials said Verma’s father works in the horticulture department, while his mother is employed as a school teacher.