Police in Jaipur, Rajasthan, have arrested a master imposter who created deceptive online identities to target students, job seekers, and local businessmen. Operating under various pseudonyms, the suspect systematically defrauded individuals by posing as a university professor, an engineer, a nursing officer, and a police constable. A specialized investigation team from the Muhana police station tracked down and arrested the accused, identified as Arun Sharma, from the Brahmpuri neighborhood following extensive digital tracking and surveillance. During initial questioning, the suspect confessed to involvement in approximately two dozen incidents of fraud, extortion, and assault across the region.
Modus Operandi: Posing as a University Professor
According to law enforcement officials, Arun Sharma created multiple fraudulent accounts on the social media platform Facebook using fake names such as Sunil Meena, Sunil Sharma, and Vijay Sharma. On these profiles, he falsely identified himself as an RTU professor or a senior engineer. Using these credentials, he established contact with engineering students and academic staff. Once a rapport was built, Sharma targeted students struggling with their coursework, promising to clear failing grades, increase overall marks, and resolve pending back papers or revaluation requests. In exchange for these illegal academic favors, he instructed victims to transfer substantial amounts of money directly into designated bank accounts.
Double Extortion by Impersonating Law Enforcement
The fraud scheme extended beyond academic deception. After receiving financial transfers, Sharma obtained the physical addresses of his victims. He would subsequently show up at their residences posing as an active police officer, often claiming to belong to the Gandhi Nagar police station or the police Special Staff unit. Sharma threatened the victims with immediate arrest, claiming that the bank account they had transferred funds to belonged to a wanted criminal and that they were now implicated in illegal activities. Terrified of criminal prosecution and imprisonment, victims frequently yielded to his demands, handing over additional cash to settle the fictitious police investigation.
Job Frauds and Extortion of Gambling Operators
Further police inquiries revealed that Sharma also posed as a senior nursing officer, luring unemployed individuals with false promises of secured government medical jobs and swindling lakhs of rupees from them. Additionally, he identified local gambling operators and extorted money by threatening them with police raids under the guise of being a Special Staff officer. Police records confirm that Arun Sharma is a repeat offender with a long criminal background, having previously been booked in multiple cases related to employment scams, impersonation of public servants, extortion, assault, and forgery.
Digital Investigation and Final Arrest
The arrest followed a dedicated operation by a special team from the Muhana police station. Investigators utilized technical intelligence, analyzing data from the fraudulent Facebook profiles, mobile phone call logs, and surveillance camera footage near reported incident locations. After pinpointing his exact movements in the Brahmpuri area through technical evidence, officers conducted a swift raid and apprehended Sharma. Police are continuing their interrogation to uncover additional victims and trace the financial transactions linked to his extensive scam operations.
