KOCHI: The police on Wednesday arrested a 60-year-old man for impersonating a CBI officer and seized a fake ID card from his flat in Nettoor. The accused, Abdul Salam, originally from the Civil Station ward in Alappuzha, has been living at an apartment complex on Thattekkattu Road, Nettoor, in Maradu municipality.
According to police sources, the incident unfolded on Tuesday evening when a patrol unit noticed a Maharashtra-registered car bearing a police board and a CBI sticker on its windshield passing through INTUC Junction, Nettoor.
Suspecting foul play, as CBI officials do not display police stickers on private vehicles, the officers from the Panangad police decided to follow the vehicle. “Our team tracked the vehicle down to an apartment complex in Nettoor and enquired with the caretaker about its owner. The caretaker confirmed that the vehicle belonged to Abdul Salam, a resident of the complex,” a police officer said.
Salam initially claimed to be a retired deputy superintendent of police with the CBI, with service across various states. However, he failed to provide any official documentation to support his claim. On searching his residence, the officers found a CBI ID card that appeared to be forged.
The police then contacted the CBI to verify the ID card. The central agency confirmed that the document was fake and that no individual named Abdul Salam had served with them. Subsequently, Salam was taken to the Panangad police station for questioning.
Based on the interrogation, a case was registered against him under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for impersonating a public servant, cheating by impersonation, forgery, and relevant sections of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act. Later, his arrest was recorded. The police have launched a detailed investigation.
“Salam is an accused in several visa-cheating cases across the country. He was also arrested in some of those cases. We are verifying if the accused used the forged CBI ID for any unlawful activities. So far, we haven’t received any formal complaint against him. The car was registered in the name of Salam’s wife, who is from Maharastra. The history of the vehicle is under scrutiny,” the officer added.
