Nepalese citizen impersonating as Indian Army colonel nabbed in Darjeeling

Kolkata, Dec 31 (IANS) In a joint raid by personnel of the Indian Army and the West Bengal district police, a citizen of Nepal impersonating as an Indian Army colonel, was arrested on Saturday from Sukhiapokhri area adjacent to the Indo-Nepal border in Darjeeling district of West Bengal.

The arrested person has been identified as Man Bahadur Gurung, a resident of Taratal in Bardiya district of Nepal. The main charge against him is that he used to hoodwink local youths and rip them of money promising jobs in the Army. He represented himself as a Colonel in the Corps of Signals.

A number of documents including fake Indian identity cards and fake appointment letters of the Army were recovered from him. Darjeeling district police sources said that for the last few months they had been receiving several complaints from people of being cheated through job promises in the armed forces. "Most of them complained that they had to pay a hefty amount for getting the jobs and once the money was paid, they were even handed over appointment letters. However, by the time it was revealed that the appointment letter was fake, the imposter had disappeared."

The matter was also brought to the notice of the Army authorities who started their own investigation. Finally, the Army got information about Gurung and jointly with the Darjeeling district police they conducted raids at different places at Sukhiapokhri and finally nabbed Gurung.

He was brought before a lower court in Darjeeling district on Saturday, where he was remanded to seven days in police custody. The police are working to get more details of his operations, especially his local associates. The most intriguing aspect, according to the police, is how being a Nepalese citizen he procured these Indian documents which would not have been possible unless he had local contacts.