A con man posing as an army officer was apprehended by Kolkata Police. The con was elaborate and so was the process of apprehending the artist behind it.
A man calling himself ‘Lieutenant Shivam Pandey’ led people to believe that he was an officer of the army from the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps unit. Taking his con a step further and making it seem more believable to the untrained eye, the Pandey even wrote a book titled ‘Untold Story from the Indian Army’.
Pandey also tried to persuade Meta to put a blue tick against his account for authentication. He would post extensively on social media about his real-life experiences in the army and using the platform to promote his book.
Also watch: Luxury cars, jewellery & more: inside details on BSF officer arrested in Rs 125 crore fraud case
The army, however, caught on. The military intelligence flagged his profile while monitoring social media activity. Pandey was finally nabbed after a month of surveillance. His four ‘body guards’ have also been arrested. Pandey was wearing military fatigues even during the time of his arrest and had a fake Army identity card and multiple writing pads with the Army’s letterhead, according to reports. Pandey’s real name is yet to be revealed.