Nagpur: The city witnessed a startling case of high-level impersonation on Tuesday evening when a youth posing as an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was exposed and arrested after a swift police chase. The accused, who brazenly carried a fake NIA identity card and claimed to be a police inspector, was caught red-handed with forged documents and a car worth lakhs.
The complainant, Hasditsingh Parvindersingh Bhatia (43), a transport businessman and caretaker of The Palm Green Lawn on Kamptee Road, said the drama unfolded around 6 pm on January 27. While he was present at the lawn, he received a phone call from a man claiming to be a police inspector from Butibori police station. The caller alleged that a stolen vehicle linked to a crime was parked outside Bhatia’s lawn and claimed he was heading there to investigate.
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28 Jan 2026
Suspicious of the call, Bhatia questioned the man further when he arrived at the spot. The caller introduced himself as Prahlad Sinha and suddenly raised the stakes by claiming he was an officer of the National Investigation Agency. To reinforce his claim, he flashed what appeared to be an official NIA identity card. However, sensing something amiss, Bhatia kept a close watch as the man hurriedly fled the spot in his Tata Tiago car bearing Delhi registration.
Alarmed by the suspicious conduct, Bhatia immediately alerted Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul Maknikar (Crime Branch). Acting swiftly, the DCP dispatched Crime Branch Unit No. 5 to the spot. Using technical surveillance and real-time vehicle tracking, police teams coordinated with Butibori police and launched a chase.
The accused was intercepted and nabbed along with his car at Satgaon in the Butibori area, ending the impersonation drama. During interrogation in the presence of panch witnesses, the accused identified himself as Prahlad Dilipkumar Sinha (25), a resident of Satgaon, Butibori.
A search of his possession sent shockwaves through the police team. Officers recovered a forged identity card bearing the Government of India and National Investigation Agency logos with the accused’s photograph, along with Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID, mobile phone and other incriminating material. Police seized the fake documents and the car, collectively valued at Rs 3.25 lakh.
Police confirmed that the accused was masquerading as a public servant using fabricated identity documents to deceive citizens. Based on the complaint, Yashodhara Nagar Police registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita related to impersonation, cheating and forgery, and placed the accused under arrest.
The accused, along with the seized property, has been handed over to Yashodhara Nagar Police for further investigation. Police are now probing whether he used the fake NIA identity to commit other crimes or extort money, and whether more victims may have fallen prey to the impersonator.
