CBI books Delhi man for posing as PMO official to get AIIMS admissions
Synopsis
A Delhi resident allegedly posed as a PMO Officer on Special Duty via WhatsApp to pressure AIIMS staff into granting emergency admissions — and it worked, at least temporarily. The CBI's FIR reveals the fraud succeeded purely because hospital staff trusted the PMO's name, exposing a systemic vulnerability in how India's top public institutions handle high-level referrals.
Key Takeaways
The CBI registered an FIR on 31 August against Ravi Kant Sharma , a Delhi -based resident, for impersonating a PMO official .
Sharma allegedly contacted AIIMS New Delhi 's Protocol Officer via WhatsApp on 26 February , falsely claiming to be an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Prime Minister.
He reportedly secured preferential emergency treatment for patient Md.
Imran and allegedly attempted similar interventions for patients Kavita and Archana .
The PMO confirmed that no person named Ravi Kant Sharma was ever employed as an OSD to the Prime Minister.
In a separate but similar case, the CBI had booked P.
Elangovan on 4 June for posing as a PMO Under Secretary .
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 31 August registered a case against Ravi Kant Sharma, a Delhi-based resident, for allegedly impersonating an official from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to secure preferential admission and treatment for patients at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. The FIR was made public on Friday, 4 September.
The case has been registered under sections relating to cheating, giving false evidence, and provisions of the Information Technology Act.
How the Fraud Unfolded
According to the CBI FIR, a written complaint was received from an Assistant Director of the PMO in May, alleging impersonation and misuse of the PMO's name by Sharma. The complaint stated that on 26 February, Sharma contacted the Protocol Officer at AIIMS, New Delhi via WhatsApp, falsely claiming to be an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Prime Minister.
Sharma also reportedly provided an email address linked to the PMO portal to AIIMS authorities, apparently to lend credibility to his claim and exert influence over hospital staff.
Patient Granted Preferential Access Under False Pretences
The FIR states that Sharma pressured B.N. Acharya, Protocol Officer at AIIMS New Delhi, to grant preferential admission and emergency treatment to a patient identified as Md. Imran. The CBI's subsequent verification found that Sharma had allegedly attempted similar unauthorised interventions for at least two other patients, identified as Kavita and Archana.
'It also revealed that preferential treatment was extended solely under the assumption that the suspect was an authorised PMO official,' the CBI FIR stated.
The PMO categorically confirmed that no individual named Ravi Kant Sharma had ever been employed as an OSD to the Prime Minister.
A Pattern of PMO Impersonation
This is not an isolated incident. On 4 June, the CBI had registered a separate case against P. Elangovan for allegedly posing as an Under Secretary in the PMO. A preliminary enquiry in that case had been initiated as early as 8 January. The two cases together point to a troubling pattern of individuals exploiting the PMO's institutional weight to manipulate access at sensitive public institutions.
What Happens Next
With the FIR now formally registered, the CBI is expected to proceed with a full investigation into Sharma's activities, including the extent of any preferential access granted at AIIMS and whether additional patients or institutions were involved. Legal proceedings under the cheating and IT Act provisions could carry significant custodial and financial penalties if charges are established in court.
Point of View
Real-time authentication mechanism for high-level referrals. Without it, the PMO's name — and by extension, the state's authority — remains dangerously easy to weaponise.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ravi Kant Sharma and what did he allegedly do?
Ravi Kant Sharma is a Delhi-based resident booked by the CBI for allegedly impersonating a PMO Officer on Special Duty via WhatsApp to pressure AIIMS New Delhi staff into granting preferential emergency admissions. The PMO confirmed he was never employed in any such capacity.
When was the CBI FIR registered in this case?
The CBI registered the FIR on 31 August, acting on a complaint received from an Assistant Director of the PMO in May. The case was made public on 4 September.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
The case has been registered under sections relating to cheating, giving false evidence, and provisions of the Information Technology Act.
Is this the first case of PMO impersonation investigated by the CBI?
No. On 4 June, the CBI registered a separate case against P. Elangovan for allegedly posing as an Under Secretary in the PMO. A preliminary enquiry in that matter had begun as early as 8 January, making the Sharma case the second such incident in a few months.
How did the fraud succeed at AIIMS?
According to the CBI FIR, preferential treatment was extended solely because hospital staff assumed the caller was a genuine PMO official. Sharma also shared an email address linked to the PMO portal to reinforce his false identity, and no independent verification was carried out before access was granted.
