Rahul Gandhi Impersonator Arrested for Swindling Lakhs from Local Politicians

DEHRADUN: Dehradun police have arrested a conman who allegedly swindled lakhs of rupees from local politicians by posing as the personal assistant (PA) to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The suspect, used sophisticated mimicry and fake credentials to run an interstate racket targeting several other female political figures by promising party tickets and influential posts. The scam came to light after Uttarakhand politician Bhavna Pandey filed a complaint at the Rajpur police station on Sunday. According to the FIR, the accused, who identified himself as Kanishk Singh, contacted her promising a significant organisational post in the party and offering to conduct election surveys in the state. “The accused was extremely convincing. During phone calls, he would play audio clips that sounded exactly like senior party leaders, which immediately gained my trust,” Pandey said. “He told me he could influence key organisational changes, including replacing the state president. I had no reason to doubt his identity,” she added. Lured by the promise of political advancement, Pandey allegedly handed over Rs 25 lakh in cash to an accomplice sent by the impersonator at her residence in Jakhan on April 13. After receiving the money, the accused cut off all communication, leading the victims to realise they had been defrauded. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Parmendra Dobhal confirmed the arrest of the main suspect, who was apprehended while attempting to repeat the same modus operandi on another victim in the Jakhan area. “The accused had perfected a technique of using fake identities and mimicking senior leaders to exploit political aspirations. We registered a case under Section 318(4) of the BNS based on the complaint,” the SSP said. “Preliminary investigations indicate he has an extensive network across multiple states. We are analysing call records and financial trails to uncover the full extent of the racket.”