2 dupe people by creating IAS officer’s fake online profile

Two persons from Uttar Pradesh have been arrested for allegedly duping people of money by creating a fake Instagram profile of an IAS officer.

A senior police officer said the accused — Ravi Kumar and Ankit — were nabbed from Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh.

A complaint was received by the Cyber Cell unit in which it was stated that a fake Instagram profile of an IAS officer posted in Delhi has been created, said sources. “The user posted regarding a man who had sustained ‘injuries’ in a road accident and wrote that money was required for his treatment,” the officer said, adding that the complainant was an UPSC aspirant who knew the IAS officer.

Thinking the post to be genuine, a number of people donated money on humanitarian grounds, the police said. The complainant then tried to get in touch with the IAS officer to apprise him of the situation but failed. He then approached a friend who also knew the IAS officer.

The friend then informed the IAS officer about the fake profile. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and under the IT Act.

The accused were identified with the help of technical surveillance and arrested, said sources, adding that they were produced before a local court in Uttar Pradesh and then brought to the Capital for further investigation.

The police are yet to find out the exact amount which the accused had collected in the name of the IAS officer.