Gujarat man arrested for posing as IAF officer, cheated job seeker of ₹1.95 lakh
Synopsis
A Rajkot man allegedly built a fake IAF Squadron Leader identity on Instagram — complete with a Suryakiran aerobatic team affiliation — and used it to extract ₹1.95 lakh from a job seeker in instalments. The arrest, backed by technical analysis, signals how military impersonation scams are exploiting social media to prey on employment aspirations.
Key Takeaways
Pratik Bhardwaj , 33 , was arrested by Rajkot city police for allegedly impersonating an IAF Squadron Leader on Instagram.
He allegedly defrauded a complainant of ₹1.95 lakh through multiple online transfers, promising an Air Force job.
Bhardwaj falsely claimed to serve in Squadron 52 of the Suryakiran aerobatic team at Bidar Air Force Station, Karnataka .
Case registered under Sections 318(4), 319(2), and 204 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 66(D) of the IT Act .
Police seized two mobile phones worth ₹16,000 ; investigators are probing possible co-accused and additional victims.
Rajkot city police have arrested a 33-year-old man, identified as Pratik Bhardwaj, for allegedly impersonating a Squadron Leader of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Instagram and defrauding a job seeker of ₹1.95 lakh on the false promise of securing an Air Force posting. The arrest was made by a team from Gandhigram-2 (University) Police Station in Rajkot, Gujarat, following a technical investigation into the online fraud.
How the Fraud Was Carried Out
According to police, Bhardwaj created an Instagram page under his own name and falsely claimed to be serving as a Squadron Leader in the Flying Branch of the Suryakiran aerobatic team, Squadron 52, based at Bidar Air Force Station in Karnataka. Using this fabricated identity, he reportedly built the complainant's trust over social media before making his move.
Bhardwaj allegedly persuaded the complainant to transfer money in multiple instalments to different bank accounts, with the cumulative amount reaching ₹1.95 lakh. The promise held out was a guaranteed job placement in the Air Force — an offer that had no basis in reality, according to investigators.
Legal Sections Invoked
A case has been registered at Gandhigram-2 (University) Police Station under Sections 318(4), 319(2), and 204 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as well as Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. Section 66(D) specifically deals with cheating by impersonation using computer resources — a charge increasingly invoked in social-media fraud cases across India.
Investigation and Arrest Details
The probe was conducted under the supervision of Police Inspector K K Gohil, with Assistant Sub-Inspector Sanjaybhai Thakar, Police Head Constable Rahul Thakur, Police Constable Savanbhai Vasoya, and Traffic Regulation Brigade personnel Hemangbhai Rajeshbhai forming the investigation team, officials said. Technical analysis of digital footprints helped establish Bhardwaj's identity before the arrest was executed.
At the time of his arrest, Bhardwaj was reportedly residing in a rented accommodation at D-32, Shantiniketan Park-4, Nanavati Chowk in Rajkot, in a property belonging to a person identified as Deepak. Police seized two mobile phones during the operation, with a combined estimated value of ₹16,000.
Broader Investigation Under Way
This comes amid a wider pattern of military-impersonation scams proliferating on social media platforms in India, where fraudsters exploit public trust in defence institutions to extract money from job seekers. Investigators are now working to determine whether Bhardwaj had any co-accused, how the defrauded money was utilised, and whether additional victims may have fallen prey to similar promises. Further investigation is ongoing, officials confirmed.
Point of View
But this case highlights how granular the deception has become — Bhardwaj reportedly named a specific squadron, aerobatic team, and air force station, lending his fake profile an air of credibility that generic scams lack. The IAF's Suryakiran brand carries significant public prestige, making it a particularly effective hook for job-seekers who may not know how to verify service credentials. What is missing from this case — and from most such arrests — is any systemic response: social media platforms continue to host unverified military-identity profiles with little friction. Until verification norms are enforced at the platform level, investigators will remain in reactive mode, catching fraudsters only after victims have already lost money.
NationPress
12 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pratik Bhardwaj and what did he allegedly do?
Pratik Bhardwaj is a 33-year-old Rajkot resident arrested for allegedly creating a fake Instagram profile posing as an IAF Squadron Leader in the Suryakiran aerobatic team. He reportedly used this false identity to gain a complainant's trust and extract ₹1.95 lakh in instalments under the pretext of securing an Air Force job.
What charges have been filed against Bhardwaj?
Bhardwaj has been charged under Sections 318(4), 319(2), and 204 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — covering cheating, fraud, and related offences — as well as Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, which specifically addresses cheating by impersonation using computer resources.
How did the Rajkot police identify and arrest him?
Police used technical analysis of digital evidence to establish Bhardwaj's identity. The investigation, supervised by Police Inspector K K Gohil, traced the accused to a rented house at Shantiniketan Park-4, Nanavati Chowk in Rajkot, where he was arrested and two mobile phones were seized.
Are there likely to be more victims in this case?
Investigators have not ruled out additional victims. Police have stated that further investigation is ongoing to identify any co-accused, determine how the defrauded money was used, and find others who may have been targeted with similar job-placement promises.
What is the Suryakiran aerobatic team that Bhardwaj allegedly impersonated?
The Suryakiran Aerobatic Team is the Indian Air Force's official precision flying display team, known for high-profile airshows across India. Bhardwaj allegedly claimed to be a Squadron Leader in Squadron 52 of this team, based at Bidar Air Force Station in Karnataka — a fabricated affiliation with no basis in fact, according to police.
