Conman Masquerades as Minister: Arrested for Interfering in Police Probe

A man impersonating a Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister was arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Etawah on charges of trying to interfere in a police investigation. He allegedly pressured officials to remove an officer from duty, police disclosed.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava reported that for two days, the accused used the minister's identity to exert undue influence. Calling from a CUG number, he posed as Madhya Pradesh Energy Minister Pradhuman Singh Tomar, demanding the replacement of an investigating officer tied to Sahson Police Station.

The impersonator's tactics included a fake Truecaller profile under the minister's name. However, suspicion arose after tracing the caller's location within Uttar Pradesh. Upon investigation, digital evidence led police to apprehend Ankit Singh Parihar in the Kalivah temple area. Parihar's mobile phone contained incriminating documents, linking him to ongoing cyber fraud activities, besides his previous criminal charges.

(With inputs from agencies.)