Dehradun Police Arrests Fraudster Posing as Rahul Gandhi's Secretary
Fraudulent Scheme Uncovered in Dehradun
In Dehradun, law enforcement has apprehended an individual accused of impersonating Rahul Gandhi's personal secretary to defraud Congress leaders across the nation. The suspect allegedly extorted significant sums of money under the pretense of securing election tickets and party positions.
Details of the Arrest
The police in Uttarakhand arrested a man who misrepresented himself as a close aide to Rahul Gandhi. Identified as Gaurav Kumar from Amritsar, he is charged with deceiving numerous Congress leaders by claiming to facilitate election tickets or party roles. The situation came to light when Congress leader Bhavna Pandey reported that the 42-year-old had swindled her out of 2.5 million rupees under the guise of helping her gain a party position.
How the Scam Worked
According to police reports, the accused gathered information about senior party leaders and their associates through Google. Bhavna Pandey stated that the fraudster, posing as Kanishk Singh, requested 2.5 million rupees from her, claiming to be Rahul Gandhi's personal secretary. To further convince her, he arranged phone calls with individuals he falsely claimed were prominent leaders like Harish Rawat and Ganesh Godiyal.
Disappearance After Payment
After receiving the money, the suspect ceased all communication. He also claimed that around 12 legislators were staying at a five-star hotel in Dehradun, incurring expenses of 2.25 million rupees, which justified his request for funds. On April 13, he sent an accomplice to collect the cash from Pandey's residence, but following the transaction, he became unreachable and did not return the funds.
Wider Implications of the Fraud
Pandey's complaint indicated that other party members had received similar calls. She alleged that the fraudster had executed scams in various states, including Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. Based on her report, a case was registered at Rajpur police station under Section 318(4) of the Indian Penal Code.
Investigation and Findings
Using mobile surveillance, CCTV footage, and informants, police gathered intelligence on the suspect. They discovered that he was in contact with several senior party leaders in Uttarakhand and was planning to collect money from another activist near Pacific Mall in Jakhan under the pretense of securing tickets.
History of Deceit
During interrogation, the accused revealed that he had learned about Kanishk Singh, who served as Rahul Gandhi's personal secretary from 2003 to 2015 and is still regarded as a close associate. He created a profile under Singh's name on Truecaller and used it to orchestrate his fraudulent activities. The police noted that in 2017, he had defrauded two leaders in Jaipur of 1.9 crore and 12 lakh rupees, respectively, for election tickets. Additionally, in 2025, he swindled a political worker in Patna out of 3 lakh rupees for a party position.