Bharat Chhabda (34) has been nabbed for extorting businesspersons by promising them government contracts and approvals using his alleged fake connections within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The Crime Branch of the Ahmedabad police, which made the arrest, last month lodged a complaint against Chhabda for allegedly impersonating a central agency officer. The initial investigation revealed that the Gurugram native also targeted senior IAS and IPS officers, in addition to businesspersons. He is believed to have conned his way into crores of rupees.
A special team from the crime branch used technical surveillance to track the accused to a salon in Karnal’s Ramesh Nagar.
Modus operandi
Chhabda’s modus operandi was simple yet effective. He tricked businesspersons into giving him large amounts of money, promising to launder their black money. He then blackmailed them for more, and threatened to have them raided by the income-tax department using his “PMO connections” if they did not fall in line.
Over the past two to three years, Chhabda introduced himself to several businesspersons and hoteliers as either an officer from Gujarat’s Protocol Department or a Central government officer.
On being interrogated in Ahmedabad, he revealed that he had carried out similar scams in Surat, Rajkot, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Bhopal, Srinagar, and Hyderabad.
Web of deceit
Chhabda’s phone and data records show that he had had contact with several senior IAS and IPS officers in different cities. Investigators say he told these officers he was a Central government officer working on government projects. Once he had gained their trust, he had them book—and foot the bill for—five-star hotel rooms and taxis.
Chhabda also posed as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker. He then met Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s relatives, Prahlad Modi and Pankaj Modi, and convinced them he was working on the “Akhand Bharat” project. He posed for pictures with them—pictures he would later use to further bolster his fake PMO credentials.
Back home in Haryana, Chhabda continued to build up his image as a well-travelled businessman.
What’s next?
Sharad Singhal, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) in Ahmedabad, said that police departments in other states would be informed of Chhabda’s interactions with IAS and IPS officers there.
He also commended the Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajit Raijan and Assistant Commissioner of Police Bharat Patel, who supervised the team that tracked Chhabda down.
As the investigation continues, more explosive revelations are expected to follow.