Delhi Police has arrested a habitual impersonator who allegedly posed as an Additional District Magistrate (ADM) and defrauded multiple victims of approximately ₹60 lakh by falsely promising government jobs and land allotments in Noida. The accused, identified as Pawan Kumar Pandey alias Varun Kumar Pandey, a 43-year-old resident of Gandhi Vihar, Delhi, was apprehended by a team from PP Sidhipura, PS DBG Road under the Central District.

How the Fraud Was Executed

The case originated from a complaint filed on 23 March 2026 at PP Sidhipura, in which the accused allegedly introduced himself as 'Varun Kumar Pandey, ADM, Uttar Pradesh'. He reportedly assured victims of government job placements and plot allotments in Noida under official schemes, projecting himself as a senior officer with close links to top government officials.

Investigators found that the accused had been misusing the identity of a real PCS officer — Varun Kumar Pandey, PCS (2015 batch), former ADM Jhansi. He allegedly used publicly available information and photographs of the real officer to convincingly pose as an ADM posted at various locations, including Lodhi Road.

Evidence and Financial Trail

During the investigation, police recovered multiple forged identity cards, visiting cards, and documents. Digital evidence — including WhatsApp chats, audio recordings, screenshots, and e-Sakshya video evidence — helped establish a clear case against the accused.

A financial trail was established through bank accounts and UPI transactions, confirming that large sums were received from victims through intermediaries. Assets allegedly purchased from the proceeds of crime, including a Swift car and a scooty, were also identified by investigators.

FIR and Legal Action

FIR No. 206/2026 was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 318(4), 316(2), 319(2), 204, and 61(2). The accused is also linked to a previous FIR registered in 2019 at PS Sahibabad under multiple IPC sections, indicating a pattern of repeat offending.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly admitted to impersonating an ADM for several years and using forged documents to build trust and extract money from victims, often routing payments through intermediaries.

Investigation Ongoing

According to police, the role of other associates and additional victims remains under active investigation. Authorities are examining further financial transactions and probing whether a wider network was involved in facilitating the fraud. The operation was conducted under the supervision of senior officials of the Central District, with sustained technical surveillance and coordinated digital analysis leading to the arrest. Further investigation is underway to trace more victims and establish the full extent of the fraud.