Delhi Man Arrested for Posing as ADM, Defrauds People of Rs 60 Lakh

Delhi Police have arrested a 43-year-old man accused of impersonating a senior government official and allegedly cheating multiple people of nearly Rs 60 lakh by promising government jobs and land allotments. According to police, the accused posed as an Additional District Magistrate (ADM) and exploited the trust of victims by claiming to have close connections with top government authorities.

The accused, identified as Pawan Kumar Pandey alias Varun Kumar Pandey, a resident of Gandhi Vihar in Delhi, was apprehended by a team from Police Post Sidhipura under DBG Road Police Station. Police said he allegedly introduced himself as "Varun Kumar Pandey, ADM, Uttar Pradesh" and convinced victims that he could secure government employment and plots in Noida through official schemes.

The case originated from a complaint lodged on March 23, 2026, following which an FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 318(4), 316(2), 319(2), 204 and 61(2). Investigators alleged that the accused collected approximately Rs 60 lakh from victims by making false promises related to jobs and land allotments.

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During the investigation, police recovered multiple forged identity cards, visiting cards and other fabricated documents allegedly used by the accused to strengthen his false identity. Officials also examined WhatsApp chats, audio recordings, screenshots and e-Sakshya video evidence, while tracing financial transactions through bank accounts and UPI payments that reportedly established the flow of money from victims.

Police further revealed that the accused had allegedly misused the identity of a real Provincial Civil Services (PCS) officer. Verification with Varun Kumar Pandey, a 2015-batch PCS officer and former ADM of Jhansi, confirmed that his name, designation and publicly available photographs had been used to create a convincing fake profile. Investigators also identified assets allegedly purchased using the proceeds of the fraud, including a Swift car and a scooty.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly admitted to impersonating an ADM for several years and using forged documents to gain the confidence of victims while projecting close links with senior government officials. Police said he is also connected to a 2019 case registered at Sahibabad Police Station under multiple IPC sections. Authorities are now investigating the involvement of possible associates, tracing additional victims and examining whether the fraud extended beyond the cases identified so far.

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