Man impersonating ‘vigilance official appointed by Rashtrapati Bhavan’ threatens Faridabad CMO, arrested

A 47-year-old man was arrested for allegedly impersonating a vigilance department official appointed by Rashtrapati Bhavan and threatening the Faridabad chief medical officer (CMO) after barging into his office at Badshah Khan Hospital, police said on Thursday.

The suspect, identified as Rajinder Singh, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, had told officials that he was appointed by a Rashtrapati Bhavan official to investigate the ₹50 lakh diesel scam involving National Health Mission (NHM) ambulances in Faridabad.

Registration numbers of four of these ambulances were found in logbooks, showing they had been ferrying patients repeatedly to various locations while they had turned into junk.

What happened

Police said the incident took place on Wednesday when CMO Dr Jayant Ahuja was in his chamber. The suspect barged in, introduced himself as a vigilance officer, and threatened to get Ahuja removed from his job, claiming he had come to investigate the alleged NHM ambulances scam.

Ahuja alleged that the suspect claimed that he had been appointed by a senior official who he alleged was working at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“He also sought to examine records related to the alleged irregularities in ambulance fuel reimbursements,” he said.

Investigators said Ahuja grew suspicious of the man's identity and style of quizzing, suspecting that he was impersonating an official to intimidate hospital staff and possibly extort money. He immediately also called the police control room, they said.

Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police, said police teams had reached the hospital and arrested Singh before taking him to the NIT-3 police post.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that his claimed official identity was fake. Further investigation was going on in the case,” he added.