A Delhi resident, Anil Katiyal, has been arrested for impersonating a retired IPS officer of the 1979 Manipur cadre and attempting to influence an investigation by the Ghaziabad Police.
His claims unravelled after police investigations revealed his fraudulent activities.
Katiyal, 68, who resides in Greater Kailash-I, introduced himself as an ex-IPS officer and advisor to the Union Home Ministry.
His attempt to secure the release of his 69-year-old friend Vinod Kapoor, accused in a fraud case, led him to contact Neeraj Rathore, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of DCP Trans Hindon, on November 14.
He also allegedly met Ghaziabad Police Chief Ajay Kumar Mishra and other senior officials to pressurise them to intervene.
Katiyal claimed to have served in the Intelligence Bureau and boasted of connections with prominent individuals, including an alleged batchmate relationship with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
However, the police discovered that no IPS officer of his name belonged to the 1979 cadre.
An alumnus of St Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, Katiyal had built a wide network during his tenure as Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Vodafone.
Leveraging these connections, he posed as an ex-IPS officer to exert influence and obtain favours from government departments.
Katiyal’s father, a former IRS officer, and a cousin in the police service, reportedly acquainted him with influential figures, enabling his fraudulent activities.
Police became suspicious when Katiyal insisted on taking a photograph with Ghaziabad Police Chief Ajay Kumar Mishra. Investigations into his claims revealed inconsistencies, leading to the unravelling of his impersonation.
In a bid to intimidate the police, Katiyal invoked Section 140(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which carries a life imprisonment penalty, accusing the police of illegally detaining his friend.
His friend Kapoor, also arrested, was found to have been complicit in fraud-related activities.
Speaking on the matter, Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dinesh Kumar P said, “Both have been arrested today, and further information about the two accused is being gathered by the police.”
An FIR has been lodged against Katiyal and Kapoor under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 308 (extortion), 221 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of duties), 204 (personating a public servant), and 318 (cheating).
While Katiyal was apprehended in Delhi, Kapoor was arrested in Gurugram. Further investigations are ongoing to uncover other potential victims of Katiyal’s fraudulent activities.
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