Noida Police have busted a fake police station and arrested six men for allegedly impersonating as government officials and extorting money using fake documents and IDs, reported Hindustan Times.
According to police, the gang posed as public servants, collected donations via their website www.intlpcrib.in, and displayed various national and international certificates online to appear legitimate.
The gang was running a bogus office in the name of the International Police & Crime Investigation Bureau in Noida’s Phase 3 area. Its members posed as public servants, collected donations via their website www.intlpcrib.in, said the HT report citing the police.
The fraudsters allegedly used fake identity cards and police-style insignia to create an air of legitimacy. They also showcased several national and international certificates on their website to appear authentic.
During the operation, the police found a large cache of forged IDs, official-looking documents, passbooks, and cheque books from the fake office.
DCP Shakti Mohan Avasthy said the accused claimed to be part of an “international-level investigation agency” and contacted people under the pretext of verification or inquiries, according to the HT report.
“Initial investigation has revealed they possessed counterfeit stamps, letterheads, and replicas of various government emblems,” Avasthy added.
In July, Uttar Pradesh Police had arrested a man accused of running a fake embassy from a rented house in Ghaziabad and duping job seekers out of money with promises of overseas employment.
The accused, 47-year-old Harsh Vardhan Jain, was operating an “illegal West Arctic embassy by renting a house” in Ghaziabad, police had said.
According to the police, Jain claimed to be the ambassador of fictional nations “like West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia, Lodonia”.
He allegedly used vehicles with fake diplomatic plates and shared doctored photos of himself with Indian leaders to bolster his claims.
“His main activities involved acting as a broker to secure work in foreign countries for companies and private individuals, as well as operating a hawala (money transfer) racket through shell companies,” the police said in a statement following his arrest.