Belagavi, Karnataka – Belagavi police have arrested two individuals accused of creating fake Facebook accounts in the names of several high-ranking IPS and IAS officers, including Belagavi Superintendent of Police (SP), Dr. Bhimashankar Guled, a 2012 batch IPS officer. The arrested individuals, identified as Vijayakumar Kishorlal Tiwari, 46, from Chatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh, and Arbaaz Hasamkhan, 19, from Alwar district, Rajasthan, were apprehended after an investigation into a series of fraudulent online activities.
Speaking to the media, SP Dr. Guled revealed that the accused had created a fake Facebook account using his name back in 2021. The fraudsters sent out friend requests from the fake profile to both personal contacts and other officials, claiming that Dr. Guled had been transferred from his post and was now selling his expensive sofa set at a significantly low price. The scam targeted unsuspecting individuals who were tricked into making payments for the fictitious sale.
Further investigations revealed that the accused had also created similar fake accounts in the names of other senior police officers, including the Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP) from Gadag and Mandya, as well as several IAS officials.
SP Dr. Guled strongly emphasized that no senior police or administrative officer would engage in the sale of furniture when transferred, urging the public to be cautious of such deceitful online activities. He warned against making payments to unknown accounts on social media platforms, advising people to verify all online transactions thoroughly.
“Such frauds are increasingly becoming a major concern, and we must remain vigilant against these schemes,” said Dr. Guled. “I urge the public to be cautious and not fall for these fraudulent activities.”
The investigation into the case was led by investigating officer Sunilkumar S. Nandeshwar, with support from Additional Superintendents of Police Shruti NS and RS Basargi. The officers noted that online fraud cases are on the rise, and they advised the public to use social media responsibly and with caution.
Authorities are continuing their efforts to curb such online scams and are encouraging individuals who believe they have fallen victim to similar fraud to come forward and report the incidents to the police.
