Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 12 (IANS): An alert Kerala police officer, sensing something was amiss when he received a call on Friday from a person who identified himself as a Special Branch (Intelligence) SP, landed the 'conman' in the custody of the police.

Pradeep Kumar, who was staying in the guest house of the Kerala State Electricity Board at the popular hill station Munnar in Idukki district, after identifying himself as a senior police officer landed in trouble when he called up K.R. Manoj, deputy superintendent of police - Munnar.

Kumar introduced himself as an SP of Police and said he was in Munnar to probe a POCSO case and that he wanted the services of two police constables to assist him.

Manoj said that he has received no such request and feeling suspicious took the conversation forward and realised that things were not all hunky dory.

Speaking to IANS, Manoj said he dispatched a team of police officials to the guest house and after they spoke to Kumar they found that he was a conman.

"He has been taken into custody. From his certificate he has a date of birth of 1981, but he does look older. He has said he hails from the state capital district," said Manoj.

The conman got himself a room at the guest house saying he was an SP of Police.