Neither an officer nor a gentleman: Conman held

Prabhu would impersonate a special officer from the state government to cheat people.

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Conman P. Uday Prabhu took his impersonation scam so seriously that he drove a multi-utility vehicle using the state emblem. Even when CCB officers arrived at his house to take him into custody, asking him why he was using the State Emblem, Prabhu didn’t bat an eyelid. He brazenly produced a fake identity card, claiming to be a special officer in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. “After he was crossquestioned, the accused couldn’t answer properly and was caught red-handed,” said an investigating officer.

The 34-year-old scamster owns a banana mandi in Cottonpet and was arrested by CCB sleuths for posing as a DPAR officer of the Karnataka Government Secretariat. A resident of BEML Layout’s 7th stage, Prabhu had gone to great lengths to craft his fake identity.

Following a credible tipoff, CCB sleuths, headed by inspector M.M. Bharath arrested Prabhu from his house and also seized his vehicle. The sleuths have also recovered a fake identity card from the accused which had a fake address printed on it. The arrest was made on Tuesday between 3 pm to 3.50 pm.

The police have also recovered Rs 1.2 lakh in cash, three mobile phones and other electronic valuables from him. Prabhu was using the State Emblem for his private vehicle, which was registered in his wife’s name. The officers have found out that the accused was posing as a government officer to cheat the general public.

A case under column 7 of State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act of 2005 along with other sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused. The CCB officer has filed a complaint with the Kengeri police for further investigations.