Belagavi, Karnataka: Belagavi police have arrested two individuals accused of creating fake Facebook accounts of senior IPS and IAS officers, including Belagavi Superintendent of Police (SP), Dr. Bhimashankar Guled. The accused, identified as Vijayakumar Kishorlal Tiwari, 46, from Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh, and Arbaaz Hasamkhan, 19, from Aluwar district in Rajasthan, were apprehended following an investigation into fraudulent online activities.
Briefing the media on Friday, SP Dr. Guled explained that the duo had used these fake accounts to deceive the public. In 2021, they created a fraudulent account in Dr. Guled’s name and sent friend requests to various individuals, including colleagues and acquaintances of the SP. They went further to claim that Dr. Guled had been transferred from his post and was selling his expensive sofa set at a heavily discounted price. The fraudsters managed to gain people’s trust, exploiting the name of the respected officer for financial gain.
The investigation also revealed that the accused had opened similar fake accounts in the names of other prominent officers, including the Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP) of Gadag and Mandya, as well as several IAS officers.
Dr. Guled took to the media to warn the public about such deceitful schemes, emphasizing that no IPS or IAS officer would engage in the sale of furniture or personal items upon a transfer. He urged people to remain cautious and avoid falling victim to such fraudulent online activities. “It is important for the public not to pay money to unknown accounts or engage in transactions through social media without verifying the legitimacy of the offers,” he said.
Investigating officer Sunilkumar S. Nandeshwar, alongside additional superintendents of police Shruti N.S. and R.S. Basargi, highlighted the rising number of online fraud cases. They cautioned citizens to exercise discretion while interacting on social media platforms and to report any suspicious activities promptly.
The Belagavi police have assured the public that further investigations are ongoing, and they are working to prevent such cybercrimes from affecting more individuals.
