The Mumbai Crime Branch on Friday arrested a mimicry artist, who used to impersonate senior Maharashtra politicians and promised jobs to over-a-dozen of aspirants.
According to the police, Rahul Gade (24), who hails from Baramati district of Maharashtra, employed a unique modus operandi. Gade while talking to the job-seekers over phone used to mimic the voices of senior Maharashtra leaders and assure these aspirants a job at the Secretariat.
Gade, who in the past performed gigs at various political functions held in different villages across the State, can mimic leaders like Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Ramdas Athawale and even late Bal Thackeray and Gopinath Munde. He also drove in an amber flashing light vehicle to impress his clients, the police said.
On August 12, a Pune-based resident lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Police claiming that he was duped by Gade who promised him a job.
“The accused spoke to the complainant over five to six times over the phone. During these calls, he mimicked the voices of various political leaders, thereby gaining the confidence of the victim. He then asked the complainant to meet him at the State Secretariat on August 12 and took Rs. 3.5 lakh from him. The accused asked him to wait outside one of the gates of the building. He then drove inside the Secretariat in his vehicle and never returned,” senior police inspector (property cell) Nandkumar Gopale told The Hindu .
‘Phone not reachable’“The victim waited at the gate for a couple of hours. He even tried calling the accused but his phone was not reachable. At last when the complainant made inquiries about Gade at the Secretariat, no one knew about him,” Mr. Gopale added. The police suspect that he had taken around Rs. five lakh each from over-a-dozen aspirants.
Gade was produced at a holiday court here on Saturday and remanded to police custody until August 25.
