Rajkot City Police detain man accused of online impersonation and fraud
The Rajkot City Police arrested a 33-year-old local man after a complaint alleged he impersonated an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer on Instagram and obtained ₹1.95 lakh from a woman on the promise of securing her a job in the defence forces. The accused has been identified as Prateek Bharadwaj, who is reported to work at a travel agency in Rajkot.
The case came to light after the complainant, a woman in her mid-twenties originally from Rajkot and currently residing in Gandhinagar, filed a grievance on September 4 through the national 1930 Cyber Helpline. The complaint was initially registered as an “e-Zero FIR” and subsequently forwarded to the Gandhigram-2 (University) Police Station in Rajkot for investigation.
- Accused: Prateek Bharadwaj, 33, resident of Rajkot, employed at a local travel agency.
- Allegation: Impersonated an IAF Squadron Leader on Instagram and promised a defence job.
- Amount taken: ₹1.95 lakh, paid over a period of time by the complainant.
- Complaint route: Filed on September 4 via 1930 Cyber Helpline; registered as an e-Zero FIR.
- Arrest date: September 11, following the police probe.
According to police records, the woman contacted the Instagram account after finding photographs that appeared to show the account-holder in IAF uniform and videos related to the Suryakiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT). The SKAT detail, together with uniformed imagery, reportedly helped create the impression that the account belonged to an active officer.
"The complaint was first registered as an ‘e-Zero FIR’ and later sent to Gandhigram-2 (University) Police Station for further investigation," police records show.
Police said the accused claimed to be a Squadron Leader posted at Bidar Air Force Station — the operational base of SKAT’s 52 Squadron — and used that alleged posting to convince the complainant he could arrange an appointment in the Air Force. After the woman transferred a total of ₹1.95 lakh in pursuit of the promised placement, no recruitment or appointment materialised, prompting her to approach authorities.
Investigators noted that the suspect did not make extensive efforts to conceal his real phone number or identity while allegedly carrying out the fraud. Police said this may indicate that the incident could be the accused’s first reported employment-related cheating case, and that his visible traces on social media helped investigators establish his identity and location.
| Event | Date | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint filed | September 4 | Submitted through 1930 Cyber Helpline; registered as e-Zero FIR |
| Arrest | September 11 | Rajkot City Police arrested the accused after probe |
The matter highlights ongoing challenges around recruitment-related online scams, particularly those exploiting defence imagery and official-looking social media content to mislead job-seekers. Rajkot residents remain among those targeted by such impersonation schemes, police said, and authorities are increasingly relying on the national cyber helpline framework to register complaints and trace perpetrators.
Investigations are continuing at the Gandhigram-2 (University) Police Station. Further legal action is expected based on the outcome of the probe and evidence gathered from the suspect’s social media accounts and communications, police records indicate.
Cybercrime awareness campaigns and verification protocols for recruitment are commonly recommended by law-enforcement officials across Gujarat, who advise applicants to verify credentials through official defence recruitment portals and to report suspicious accounts promptly through 1930 or local police channels.
