Bengaluru, Oct 9 (DHNS): He looked like an IAS officer having direct access to the chief minister. Policemen would stand up and salute him each time his car pulled into the Vidhana Soudha. For job aspirants, he was the crucial link to that lucrative government position.

But N Prasad, 30, an MBA graduate, was nothing more than a consummate imposter. The Upparpet police recently arrested him, along with his associate, on complaints that he cheated many people of money by promising them government jobs.

Prasad, a resident of Whitefield, posed as an IAS officer and the chief minister’s secretary while Mohan, his accomplice, pretended to be his assistant. Prasad also claimed to be the vice president of a few committees that oversees welfare schemes for minorities and backward classes.

Together, the duo took many people, including policemen, for a grand ride. But what has astounded the police was that he possessed genuine documents. He owns a Toyota Innova bearing a green sticker with ‘Government of Karnataka’ embossed on it. He also possessed letterheads of government secretaries, temporary entry passes to the Vidhana Soudha, a large number of passes meant for MLCs and diaries for MLAs and MLCs. Police said all these materials were genuine, not fake. But they are not sure how he procured them and are questioning him about their source. Mohan had helped Prasad in getting a fake name plate and logo of the Karnataka government.

Prasad would go in and around Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) office, looking for government job seekers. He would contact them, telling them about his “authority” and promising them jobs if they paid him a “fee”. In order to gain their confidence, he would take them in his car on a tour of the secretariat and show them the materials. But once the victims paid up, he would just disappear.

Police said Prasad recently contacted Dhananjay, who was apiring to get the job of a village accountant, near the KPSC office.

He told him there were five posts in the chief minister’s quota, each costing Rs 10 lakh. Dhananjay believed him and paid up Rs five lakh. But once Prasad got the money, he started avoiding Dhananjay, who grew suspicious and lodged a complaint at the Upparpet police station. The police kept an eye on him and caught him when he was moving near KG Road.

Prasad is said to have told the police that he received money from some people for land conversion, too.