Fake police officer arrested

Bhadrak: Odisha Police on Friday arrested a man on charges of impersonating a police officer, an army officer and a Railway Protection Force personnel, officials said. The man identified as Rahul S Ranawat, a resident of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, was picked up from a hotel here with fake uniforms, insignia and a vehicle modified to resemble a police car.

The arrest followed suspicion over a Jharkhand-registered vehicle parked near the hotel for several days. "On inspection, we found that the car was illegally fitted with police insignia and siren lights," a senior police officer said.

Further inquiry led to the seizure of a firearm and 38 law enforcement-related items, including uniforms of Assam and Jharkhand Police, badges and other paraphernalia, he said.

Police said Ranawat introduced himself as an officer from various forces—at times claiming to be an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), and at other times posing as an army or RPF officer. "This is a rare and novel case of fraud," said Additional SP Arup Abhishek Behera at a press conference here.