A conman, Mr. Manoj Kumar, 31, from Raipur, Madhya Pradesh, was arrested by the Calangute police for impersonating a senior IAS officer and attempting to extort money from businesses in Goa.
Mr. Kumar arrived in Goa on December 5th. He stayed at Lambana Resort in Calangute, where he introduced himself as an IAS officer from Odisha, claiming he would soon be transferred to Goa. Using a forged IAS ID card, he convinced a police constable to accompany him on an “inspection” of the Calangute area on December 26th.
During this so-called inspection, he threatened shack owners at Baga Beach and nightclub staff in Tito’s Lane, warning them of closure or severe consequences if they didn’t comply with his demands. His activities raised suspicion, and complaints from the harassed business owners led the police to investigate.
The scam unravelled when the police, with the help of a taxi driver who had been in contact with Kumar, tracked him down. Despite initially trying to maintain his façade at the police station, Kumar eventually confessed.
He was arrested on Sunday and charged with extortion, impersonation, and other offences under the Indian Penal Code. Police sources also revealed that Kumar had deceived an online acquaintance into believing he was an IAS officer, leading to a proposed marriage that fell apart once the truth surfaced. Investigations are ongoing.
