India
Diamond Merchant's Son Detained in Mumbai After PMO Impersonation Attempt Near PM Modi's Event Venue
A 24-year-old Mumbai resident, Rohan Parekh, has come under police scrutiny after being arrested along with another man for allegedly attempting to breach security and impersonate a Prime Minister's Office (PMO) official at Jio World Plaza in Mumbai.
The incident occurred on Monday at the plaza, part of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), located in the same complex where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to address the 7th Global Fintech Fest the following evening. The Jio Convention Centre spans 17 acres in Bandra-Kurla Complex and has 22 gates. Security for the venue is typically managed by the Special Protection Group (SPG) starting five days before the Prime Minister's arrival.
According to crime branch officials, Parekh, a resident of Khar and son of a diamond merchant, entered the plaza at around 4.50 pm on Monday accompanied by two men. Security personnel intercepted the group after noticing one of the men was armed. Parekh identified himself as a PMO official, displaying an identity card on his phone, and was permitted entry. The armed individual claimed to be part of the SPG, but he and the third man were stopped at the gate. Parekh exited the plaza within minutes, after which all three left the premises.
SPG officials began verifying the claims made by Parekh and the armed man. A review of CCTV footage showed the trio arriving in a Mercedes, whose registration was traced to Parekh, listed as a resident of 12th Road, Khar West. Police subsequently went to his residence and apprehended him.
Parekh told investigators that one of his companions was a friend, Prathamesh Bagul, a 26-year-old from Worli, while the armed man was his bodyguard, Dilip Kunde, a former serviceman from Nashik who is licensed to carry a weapon and works for Parekh's father. Police arrested Kunde and recovered a revolver along with six live cartridges from him. Bagul remains at large, and police are actively searching for him. Both Parekh and Kunde have been remanded in police custody until September 11.
Parekh holds a degree in mathematics and physics from a university in the United Kingdom. His lawyer, advocate Anandini Fernandes, told a metropolitan magistrate that Parekh may himself have been a victim of fraud. She stated that two years ago, a man named Tarun Kapoor had approached Parekh with a job offer at the PMO, promising a monthly salary of Rs 68,000 to work on defence policy. Fernandes said Parekh had received a letter purportedly signed by the Prime Minister, along with a digital identification card claiming to be from the PMO. Parekh's uncle is reported to run a drone equipment business.
Investigations into the case, including the search for the missing third individual, are ongoing.