PMO Impersonation Case: Diamond Merchant's Son, Armed Bodyguard Arrested in Mumbai

Rohan Parekh, a 24-year-old son of a diamond merchant, has emerged as a key figure in a security breach case involving alleged impersonation of a Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) official at Jio World Plaza. Mumbai Police arrested Parekh and another man after the group allegedly attempted to enter the premises while claiming official connections. The incident occurred in the same complex where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to attend the 7th Global Fintech Fest.

Parekh, a Khar resident, holds a graduate degree in mathematics and physics from a university in the United Kingdom. According to Mumbai Crime Branch officers, he entered Jio World Plaza at around 4.50 pm on Monday with two other men. Security personnel reportedly noticed that one of the men was carrying a firearm, prompting them to intervene. Parekh allegedly identified himself as a PMO official and showed an identity card on his phone, after which he was allowed to enter the premises.

The armed man accompanying Parekh reportedly claimed to be a member of the Special Protection Group (SPG), which is responsible for the security of the Prime Minister. The man and another member of the group were stopped by security personnel, while Parekh left the plaza within minutes. The three men subsequently left the venue. Police began investigating their identities and claims, while security agencies examined how the group had managed to approach a venue under heightened security arrangements ahead of the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit.

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Investigators reportedly traced the group through CCTV footage and the Mercedes in which they had arrived. The vehicle’s registration was linked to Rohan Premal Parikh, identified as a Khar West resident. Police then went to his residence and questioned him. Parekh reportedly identified the other men as his friend Prathamesh Bagul, a 26-year-old Worli resident, and Dilip Kunde, who worked as his bodyguard. Police arrested Kunde and recovered a revolver and six live cartridges from him, while Bagul remains missing and a search has been launched.

Parekh’s lawyer, advocate Anandini Fernandes, told a metropolitan magistrate that her client may himself have been deceived as part of a larger fraud. According to the defence, Parekh was allegedly contacted by a man named Tarun Kapoor about two years ago and offered a position in the PMO with a monthly salary of ₹68,000. Parekh was reportedly told that he would work on defence policy and was allegedly provided with a letter purportedly signed by the Prime Minister and a digital identity card said to be from the PMO.

Police have remanded Parekh and Kunde in custody until September 11 as the investigation continues. Kunde, a retired serviceman from Nashik, reportedly works as a bodyguard for Parekh’s father, a diamond merchant, and possesses a licensed firearm. Investigators are expected to examine the authenticity of the documents and alleged PMO connection claimed by Parekh, as well as determine the role of the missing associate. The case remains under investigation, and the allegations against the accused have not been established in court.

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