UP STF arrests man for fraudulently availing protocol privileges

Ayodhya, Oct 26 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh STF has arrested a man and his driver for duping people in the name of getting their work done in the government departments. 

Identifying himself as a top boss of the Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) of the railway ministry, Anup Chaudhary (35) moved around with Firoz Alam (27), who used to wear the uniform of a police gunner.

Anup’s social media accounts show videos of him enjoying unrestricted direct access to the high security sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

It also has his photographs with top political leaders of the country.

Anup has been accused of shooting off letters to the state government in Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh seeking government protocol in place during his visits to these states, the STF said.

He was arrested from the Circuit House in Ayodhya.

Cases of fraud and cheating have been pending against him in Lucknow, Shamli, Bareilly and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, while six cases are lodged with the Uttarakhand and Rajasthan police.

Additional Superintendent of police, STF, Satyasen Yadav said: “Anup Chaudhary used to cheat people of money by claiming to get them government tenders. To appear genuine, he posted purported videos and photos with top union ministers and senior officials.”

The STF said that during interrogation, Anup disclosed that seeing the protocol facility available to the ministers of the railway department he personally appointed a non-government official Shrinivas Narala as his OSD, through whom the concerned officers of the districts of Uttar Pradesh and other states are sent letters on letterheads in the format prepared in a fake manner by him.

He said that during his visit to Chennai, he had availed the facility of protocol during his stay in Chennai fraudulently.

The STF said that acting on tip off, it intercepted an SUV on the road leading to Circuit House Ayodhya. A gunner was sitting on the front seat.

“The police personnel got down from the said vehicle and introduced himself as head constable Pawan Kumar posted in Ghaziabad and introduced the person sitting inside as Anup Chaudhary, a member of the Ministry of Railways, Government of India and told that he was appointed in his duty,” the STF said.

The other person sitting in the same vehicle introduced himself as Satendra Verma of Lucknow and told that he had met Anup in the waiting room while coming to the Amausi airport.

Anup discussed with me the idea of forming a company to provide visits via helicopters of various pilgrimage sites, said Satendra Verma.

--IANS

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