Jabalpur: In a bizarre and embarrassing episode for the police departments of three Indian states, a 19-year-old boy from Jabalpur, Sanket Yadav, has been arrested for impersonating female IPS officers over phone calls to carry out a well-orchestrated extortion racket. A school dropout after class 9, Sanket successfully conned people in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, posing as senior police officials.
The Voice That Shook Stations
Sanket Yadav, despite having no formal education beyond 9th grade, managed to manipulate his voice to sound like a high-ranking female IPS officer. He would call police station in-charges and instruct them to crack down on illegal money transfer operations at customer service centers in their jurisdictions.
Once the officers followed his instructions, Sanket would directly contact the customer service center operators, posing as the same officer. He would then threaten legal action unless they transferred money to a specified number via QR code, usually demanding Rs 10,000.
Crime Spree Across Three States
Using this method, Sanket is believed to have impersonated over 50 IPS officers, targeting unsuspecting individuals and policemen alike in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. His impersonation included posing as Kasganj SP Ankita Sharma, among others. The scale and audacity of his operations stunned investigating teams.
From Temple Cleaner to Tech-Savvy Conman
In police interrogation, Sanket revealed he had once worked as a cleaner at the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain, where he first overheard high-level police conversations. He began mimicking their tone and command style. Later, working at a customer service center exposed him to money transfer practices — which he cleverly combined with impersonation to launch his fraud.
Abandoned at 15, Arrested at 19
Hailing from Thapak Mohalla in Patan, Jabalpur, Sanket left home at the age of 15. His father, Umashankar Yadav, told police that they lost contact with him years ago and were unaware of his activities. According to officials, Sanket was recently released from jail, and within weeks, resumed his scam — this time on a larger scale from Uttar Pradesh.
How He Got Caught
UP Police traced him after a coordinated complaint surfaced involving similar patterns of voice threats and QR code transactions. His mobile phone was put under surveillance, and voice samples were matched. He was eventually arrested in Uttar Pradesh, and efforts are underway to identify all his victims.
Embarrassment for the System
The case has raised serious questions about the vulnerability of even senior police officers to voice-based fraud. While Sanket had no formal criminal training or advanced tech tools, his clever manipulation of fear, hierarchy, and communication gaps enabled him to carry out a multi-state con.
