A 27-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posing as an ex-Union Minister and attempting to dupe a Congress MLA of Rs 25 lakh on the pretext of getting him appointed as the Chairman of the Northeast wing of Rural Development Board of India.
Rajesh Kumar handed over a fake appointment letter to MLA Khekaho Assumi on a forged letterhead of an MP, but legislator caughthold of him after realising that he was being conned.
"We have arrested Kumar, resident of Ghaziabad, in this connection on Monday while two of his associates are still absconding," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) S B S Tyagi.
The Congress MLA, who represents the Akuluto Assembly seat of Nagaland, was called by a man identifying himself as an ex-Union Minister, the police official said.
Kumar assured Assumi that he will get him appointed as Chairman of the Northeast wing of Rural Development Board of India for which the MLA would have to shell out Rs 25 lakh.
Sensing foul play, the MLA spoke to the caller on few occasions and laid a trap to catch him.
On Monday, Kumar met Assumi at Nagaland House and handed over him a fake appointment letter on the forged letterhead of MP Nityananda Pradhan and demanded Rs 25 lakh.
The MLA took a bag which contained papers and told Kumar that he wanted to meet his other associates and will hand over the money to them, police said.
"Kumar said that his associates were waiting outside Nagaland House. When they came out, Kumar signalled towards a vehicle saying that his two associates were sitting in it.
"When Assumi walked towards the vehicle, Kumar tried to flee and catch a bus but the MLA ran and nabbed him. He was then handed over to police," said Station House Officer Tughlak Road Naresh Solanki.
Kumar was produced before a city court which sent him in two days police custody.
Kumar has claimed that he was hired as a delivery boy a day before his arrest by the two men, who told him to receive Rs 25 lakh from the MLA. According to the accused, he never made any phone call the legislator.
"Raids are being made to arrest the two aides of Kumar," police said.
