Dewi Suryani 
Kolkata: An individual posing as a high-ranking army officer attempted to enter Fort William, the Eastern Command headquarters of the Indian Army in Kolkata. However, his russe was quickly discovered when he struggled to provide his details in the officer’s entry register.
The imposter arrived at Fort William in a black BMW, driven by a chauffeur, claiming to be an Army Major named MS Chauhan from the 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) unit. When asked to register his details, he repeatedly referred to his mobile number, arousing suspicion among the on-duty military personnel.
Upon investigation, it was found that the imposter hailed from Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and had a history of fraudulent activities. He has been confined to a juvenile home in Odisha from September 2023 to February 2024.
Following his release, the imposter stayed at Hotel Pride in Cuttack on February 13, where he defrauded the establishment of ₹6,393 before leaving. He then traveled without a ticket to Howrah Railway Station on March 14, eventually making his way to the airport. En route, he contacted the JW Marriott Hotel, requesting a cab to pick him up upon arrival, and stayed there. He later hired a BMW cab from the hotel, claiming to be associated with the President’s Bodyguard regiment, according to a report by NDTV.
The cab driver, deceived by his guise, accompanied him to Jadavpur University for alleged admission formalities under defense quota. Subsequently, they proceeded to Fort William, where the imposter’s deception was uncovered, leading to his apprehension by the authorities.
Further investigation revealed that the imposter was involved in fraudulent digital transactions at numerous luxury establishments and shops. He would manipulate initial confirmation messages from BHIM app transactions to perpetrate additional fraudulent payments.
Although his hotel room at JW Marriott was searched, no personal belongings or documents were found. Additionally, it was discovered that he had checked into hotels in both Cuttack and Kolkata using another false identity card, this time claiming to be Constable Sunil Kumar from the Hyderabad State Police.
The imposter alleges to be a 24-year-old BTech student, although this claim remains unsubstantiated.