Ahmedabad, May 24: The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested a fake police inspector who allegedly defrauded young women of lakhs of rupees by luring them into a love trap through online dating apps and matrimonial websites. The accused, identified as Himanshu alias Rocky Panchal (27), originally hails from Udaipur and was residing in the Sabarmati area of Ahmedabad.
AI-Generated Police Identity
According to the Crime Branch, the accused had uploaded AI-generated photos and a fake profile dressed in Gujarat police uniform on dating apps and matrimonial sites. After women contacted him upon viewing his profile, he emotionally blackmailed them under the pretext of marriage and relationships, extracting money from them. Over the past six months, he has targeted around 20 women, including divorced individuals.
Seized Fake Documents
DCP Ajit Rajyan stated that the police seized a mobile phone, ₹40,000 in cash, a fake ID card generated by AI, a Gujarat police logo, a belt, badge, cap, and an Ashoka pillar monogram from the accused. He contacted women through platforms like Shaadi.com, Jeevansathi, Bumble, Hinge, and others, claiming to be stationed in the Cyber Security division of the Crime Branch to gain their trust.
Previous Serious Offenses
The accused has prior cases of fraud registered against him at the Navrangpura and Naroda police stations in Ahmedabad. He had defrauded one victim of ₹79,000 and another of ₹1.74 lakh. Investigations revealed that he had also been arrested a year ago in Mumbai for impersonation and rape, and was currently out on bail.