A shocking case of impersonation and extortion has surfaced from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, where a man posing as an IPS officer allegedly threatened a businessman with a fake police encounter unless he paid ₹2 lakh.
The victim, Sandeep Singh (also known as Sandeep Kumar Singh), a resident of Ward No. 17 under the Pipiganj police station area, lodged a formal complaint after the accused demanded money and threatened to implicate him in a false criminal case.
Following the complaint, police acted swiftly and arrested the accused. He was produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody on Monday, January 19. He has since been sent to jail.
Gorakhpur University Clerk Turned Fake IPS Officer
Police investigations revealed that the accused, Shani Sharma is a clerk at Gorakhpur University, currently under suspension in an unrelated matter.
Shani is a resident of Ward No. 1, Ambedkar Nagar, PPganj area, and had secured his university job under the compassionate appointment (deceased-dependent) quota after his father’s death.
Social Media Used to Project IPS Authority
According to police, Shani frequently uploaded photographs on social media wearing an IPS uniform, creating a false impression of authority. Investigators believe he used this tactic to intimidate and extort money from multiple people.
On Saturday, he reportedly visited Sandeep’s shop, demanded ₹2 lakh, and threatened to frame him in a false case and carry out an encounter if the money was not paid.
Suspicious of the claims, the businessman approached the police instead of giving in to the threats.
Forged Documents Used Even for University Job
During the probe, police uncovered that documents submitted by Shani for his university job were also forged. Verification from the school he claimed to have studied in showed no record of his name.
A separate case has now been registered for document forgery, and further investigation is underway.
Criminal History and Past Fraud Cases
SP North Gyanendra Kumar stated that Shani Sharma has a history of fraud, with multiple cases registered against him.
In 2025, he allegedly staged his own disappearance to evade repayment of borrowed money and had his brother file a missing person report. The incident was later exposed as a staged act.
Personal Life and Seized Evidence
Police records indicate that Shani has been married twice. He divorced his first wife, with whom he has two children, and is currently living with his second wife.
During the arrest, police recovered a police uniform from his possession, further strengthening the impersonation charges.
Authorities are now investigating the full scale of Shani Sharma’s fraudulent activities, including how many people may have been extorted using the fake IPS identity.
The case once again highlights how misuse of police uniforms and social media impersonation can be exploited to threaten and deceive citizens.
