PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: Police on Saturday arrested a 41-year-old man for impersonating as an IPS officer during Deputy Chief Minister Konidela Pawan Kalyan’s recent visit to Parvathipuram-Manyam district.
The fake IPS officer was identified as Balivada Surya Prakash of Garividi, who is a licensed repairer of the Legal Metrology Department. The police seized two ID cards, a mobile phone, a laptop, a car, and three pairs of police uniform and nameplate from him.
Disclosing the arrest of fake IPS officer to newsmen at Salur police station, Additional SP Dilip Kiran said Prakash returned after working two years as a sepoy in Punjab Regiment in 2005. Later, he worked as a labour contractor in the district till 2016. After that, he obtained a licence as a repairer of weighing machines from the Legal Metrology Department.
Prakash developed disputes with villagers over his ancestral property of nine acres of land after his father died of Covid-19. He went to Hyderabad in January 2024 informing his relatives that he was selected as an IPS officer.
Man faked as police to dupe relatives: Addl SP
In pursuance of a plan to settle the land disputes in the guise of a police officer, he took part in the official visit of Pawan Kalyan to Bagujola village in Makkuva mandal on December 20.
He took photos with the local police and with the foundation stone plaques of the Pawan Kalyan’s official programmes to dupe his relatives and villagers as an IPS officer, and circulated the same to his relatives, besides updating his WhatsApp status.
Suspecting that he duped his relatives and local police, his friends lodged a complaint with Makkuva police. During the case investigation, it was revealed that Prakash was impersonated as an IPS officer.
“Prakash did not participate in the Deputy CM’s official tour. His vehicle was among those stopped at Duggeru by local police. He reached the foundation stone laying ceremony area by walking after the Deputy CM left the place, and took photos. We are unable to identify the impersonated IPS officer due to incessant rain. We have registered a case against Prakash under Sections 204, 205, 318(2), 318(4), 319(2), 336 (3), 338, and 340 (2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS),” the Additional SP said.
Though the police are denying that Prakash did not participate in the Pawan Kalyan’s tour, several videos circulated on social media clearly showed his presence behind the Deputy CM.
After seeing his photographs with the local police, several community leaders felicitated Prakash in Salur believing that he became as IPS officer from a very poor financial background.