Fake IAS Officer Held for Duping Chemist in Rs 1.8 Crore Drug Supply Scam
Scam
New Delhi: A man posing as an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer has been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly cheating a medical shop owner of Rs 41 lakh by promising to secure a Rs 1.8 crore government contract for supplying medicines to primary health centres under the National Health Mission (NHM), with police uncovering a well-planned impersonation scheme involving fake credentials and staged meetings.
The accused, identified as Mithun, a native of Kadur in Chikkamagaluru district, allegedly claimed to be a 2023-batch IAS officer and projected himself as a senior official associated with the NHM to gain credibility.
According to the complaint filed by Satish G R, owner of Shreyas Medicals, the accused was introduced to him through a district surgeon, Dr Chandrashekar, which helped establish trust. Mithun then assured the victim that he could secure a medicine supply order worth ₹1.8 crore for primary health centres and demanded a 20% commission in advance.
Believing the claims, the complainant paid ₹36 lakh in cash near Jakkur on January 18. Subsequently, an additional ₹5 lakh was transferred online to a bank account provided by the accused, taking the total amount to ₹41 lakh.
When the promised contract failed to materialise despite repeated follow-ups, the victim grew suspicious and verified the accused’s credentials with health authorities, only to discover that Mithun was not an IAS officer.Investigations further revealed that the accused had visited a government hospital in Chikkamagaluru, where he conducted meetings with doctors and staff to reinforce his false identity. He also allegedly misused the name of a Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner of Police to strengthen his claims.
Based on the complaint, Amruthahalli police registered a case and arrested the accused. During interrogation, Mithun reportedly made misleading claims about being among a select group of candidates chosen from a large pool of aspirants, as part of his attempt to deceive victims.
Police suspect that the accused may have targeted others using a similar modus operandi, particularly within the healthcare sector. A notice has also been issued to the district surgeon in connection with the case, and further investigation is underway, reports The Deccan Herald.
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