Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (SHP)
Panaji, Jan 10: Goa Crime Branch has arrested a man who has been accused of allegedly posing as a UP minister and using fake documents to support his claim, the man was also reportedly staying at a state guest house in Panaji under the facade.
Four of his accomplices, who were staying with him at the state guest house, have also been arrested a senior Goa Crime Branch official said on Thursday.
The accused, Sunil Singh, was arrested after Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant alerted the police about him.
The accused was at the guest house for almost 12 days before he was successfully nabbed by the police on Tuesday. As per one of the officer, Singh had even sought an appointment with the chief minister of Goa. "As he had shown his designation as Minister of Cooperation from the Uttar Pradesh government, he was also provided with a personal security officer from the Goa Police," the official said.
After his behaviour was found to be suspicious, Sawant brought it to the notice of the Goa Police. "I asked the Crime Branch to arrest the person. He had produced forged letters and e-mails to claim that he was a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government," Sawant told the reporters.
The accused also met Goa Cooperation Minister Govind Gawade in the ministerial block here last week and discussed various issues related to the department. "I was told that he was a state guest and a minister in the UP Cabinet. I didn't meet him for much time. He was with me for 10 minutes," Gawde claimed and admitted that even he found his behaviour odd.
"So when I went back home, I searched for information on him on the internet but could not find anyone with that name. But I could not follow up the matter, as I was busy in other things," the minister said.
The Crime Branch official said Singh and his aides allegedly forged official documents of the UP government. "We will be seeking help from our UP counterparts in the investigation," he said.
The accused also attended a school function in Canacona taluka of South Goa district where he was invited as the chief guest during his stay in the state.