Guwahati: The city police have arrested Dipjyoti Das, a resident of Sarpara village in Palashbari, late on Sunday night, for allegedly impersonating a senior officer of the Union Ministry of Defence and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Das reportedly spent his last two to three years introducing himself as an executive member of the Defence Ministry, using this false identity to intimidate people.
According to the police, Das would often move around in a white Fortuner SUV (AS 01 BS 9533) fitted with a fake designation plate and siren. He would patrol the VIP Point near LGBI Airport at night and projected himself as a top-ranking government official. He also allegedly threatened people using a pistol, but the weapon itself has not been recovered yet.
The police, acting on a tip-off, intercepted his vehicle, during which Das tried to flee but was caught immediately. Forged documents and a pistol cover were recovered after the SUV was searched by police. The vehicle has been seized by police in connection with investigations.
The sources close to the investigation revealed that Das had even attended Rongali Bihu celebrations in 2010 as a special guest by misusing fake credentials. In January 2022, he also procured a fake doctoral degree from a so-called 'South Bank University, London.'
Investigators believe that Das is part of a larger network of fraudsters and have launched a deeper investigation to uncover his associates and the extent of his activities.