Farmers Movement Archive

Man posing as Lt Col lands in police net

The police claimed to have arrested a swindler claiming to be a Lt Colonel in the Army and recovered uniforms, stamps, fake documents, ID cards, a sword, badges, fake number plates with Army insignia, .32 bore pistol, air rifle, cartridges, a laptop and fake certificates from him.The Fatehgarh Sahib SSP, Amneet Kondal, said the CIA staff got a tip-off about Sobhraj Singh, alias Shive, a resident of Ludhiana, who had served in Indian Army as constable impersonating himself as Lt-Colonel.The CIA staff intercepted a Sonata Hyundai car (bearing registration No. HR-26BF-8023) with Army insignia at a naka near Floating Restaurant in Sirhind and arrested Shive, the SSP said. He was in Army uniform, but could not produce any ID or document to prove his identity, the SSP added.During preliminary investigation Shive revealed that he was recruited in Army in 2003 as constable and retired on medical grounds in 2014, the SSP added. Shive admitted that he along with his two accomplices had formed a gang to dupe unemployed youths on the pretext of getting them recruited in the Army and extracted huge amount from them, the SSP said.Presently, he was staying with his woman friend in Mandi Gobindgarh, the SSP added. The police raided her house and recovered 10 fake stamps, letterheads, Army uniforms, police badges, belt and fake Army documents, the SSP said.Shive had taken a loan of Rs 18 lakh from YES Bank and Rs 10 Lakh from HDFC Bank, both in Ludhiana, on fake documents impersonating as Lt-Colonel, the SSP added. Two cases under Arms Act and of looting were registered against Shive in Ludhiana district, the SSP said. Shive revealed that his two accomplices used to accompany him in Army uniforms, the SSP added.“The police have registered a case under Sections 419, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 472, 473, 474, 170, 171 and 120B, IPC, and 25, 54 and 59, Arms Act. His accomplices will also be arrested,” the SSP said.Sources said Shive along with his accomplices used to visit offices of DCs and SSPs in Patiala, Ludhiana and Ropar and introduce himself as Lt-Colonel to get his work done. — OC

The Tribune

2020-08-22