JNU grad, aides arrested for posing as MHA officials
Times of India | 18 January 2025
12 Suri: A JNU MPhil graduate was arrested by Birbhum Police on Jan 15 for impersonating a senior MHA official and travelling in an SUV with the official Govt of India insignia and a blue beacon light.
Aniket Dey, held along with two of his aides — all posing as MHA officers — was earlier arrested by Delhi and Bengaluru police for similar offences. Dey, 26 years old, is originally from Assam and graduated from Delhi University's Hindu College before joining JNU.
Police sources said the car in which Dey and his aides were travelling was stopped during a routine naka check in Surichua on Wednesday night. When asked to identify themselves, Dey and his aides, Ashok Agarwal (52) and Debashish Ganguly (36), all residents of Kolkata, introduced themselves as MHA officials.
When asked to provide identity proof, the trio failed to provide any and instead presented several suspicious documents, which appeared to be forged and fake. Police then detained them and started questioning them.
A subsequent police search of them and the vehicle led police to seize a forged identity card in the name of Debashish Ganguly, listing him as an assistant section officer with MHA, a fake sticker displaying the insignia of the Ministry of DoNER, Govt of India, and visiting cards in the names of Aniket Dey and Ashok Agarwal, both claiming false positions at the MHA.
Police said the trio also failed to provide any legitimate documents regarding the blue beacon light and govt insignia displayed on their vehicle. Birbhum police superintendent Amandeep said the three were then arrested immediately.
A senior police officer said: "It was learnt that mastermind Aniket Dey, actually hailing from Assam, completed his graduation from Hindu College under Delhi University and has an MPhil degree from JNU. He was arrested earlier in 2020 by Delhi Police for impersonating himself as a ‘Youth Adviser' to National Security Council at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). Prior to that, he was nabbed by Bengaluru Police for a similar offence in the same year."
Dey, police said, also posed as a cyber expert and authored a book.