Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to inaugurate the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, security teams at the venue detained two men, one of whom had presented himself as an official from the Prime Minister's Office before his claim fell apart under scrutiny.
A fake PMO card raises the alarm
According to sources, the man taken into custody has been identified as 24-year-old Rohan Parekh. During screening, an identity card bearing the PMO's name was found on him, but when security personnel examined it closely, the card turned out to be fake. Carrying a forged credential into an event with such tight security is itself a serious red flag, since anyone attending a programme involving the Prime Minister is typically screened, along with their documents, through multiple layers of checks.
A firearm with his bodyguard deepens the worry
The matter did not end there. A search of Parekh's companion, described as his bodyguard, turned up a firearm. Finding a weapon inside a high-security zone just ahead of the Prime Minister's event put security agencies on high alert. Teams stationed at the venue immediately stepped up scrutiny of both men's movements and paperwork, and to rule out any risk, both were taken into custody.
Crime Branch takes over the probe
The Mumbai Crime Branch is now investigating the entire episode. Police are trying to establish exactly how the young man managed to get so close to the venue while carrying a counterfeit PMO identity card, and what stages of security clearance he actually passed through. Investigators are also examining under what licence the firearm recovered from his companion was held, and the purpose for which it was being carried. Agencies are further trying to determine what the two men's actual intention was in reaching the venue, and whether they had attempted to gain any special access. A clearer picture of the episode and each man's role is expected to emerge only once the investigation is complete.
The fintech fest goes on regardless
The episode surfaced just as the seventh edition of the Global Fintech Fest 2026 was about to get underway in Mumbai, running from September 8 to 11, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself set to inaugurate it. The case involving a forged identity document and a firearm has left behind pointed questions about the event's security arrangements. For now, both the Mumbai Police and the Crime Branch continue their investigation, and officials are yet to issue a detailed statement on the matter.
