Man posing as IPS officer held for duping jeweller in Lucknow

Lucknow: The Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday arrested a man for allegedly posing as an IPS officer and cheating a leading jeweller of the city.

Accused Rajiv Singh had duped Nitesh Rastogi, the owner of Mohan Shyam Kalyan Das Jewellers in Gol Market area of the capital, the STF said in a statement.

Singh was arrested from Aliganj Police Station area of Lucknow following a tip off that he was planning to escape to Mumbai, the release said.

Singh, posing as IPS officer of Maharashtra cadre, had befriended Rastogi.

During interrogation, Singh said, in July last year, he bought gold jewellery worth Rs 67 lakh and then again in December worth Rs 1.95 crore from Rastogi, it said.

He gave post-dated cheques of seven different amounts of Central Bank of India, but insisted that they should not be put up for payment on one pretext or another till they expired, the STF said.

When the jeweller asked for his money, he threatening him and refused to pay or return the jewellery, the STF said.

A case against him under relevant sections pertaining to forgery and falsification of documents was registered at the Mahanagar Police Station, the STF said.

Gold jewellery weighing 5.7 kg, Rs 2,500 in cash, two mobile phones and a fake identity card of DCP, Crime Branch, Mumbai Police was recovered from his possession, it said.