Ahmedabad: Police arrested a 29-year-old engineer named Mehul Shah for posing as an IAS officer and defrauding individuals using fake letters purportedly from various government departments.

Shah, an engineer by profession, operates two schools in Vankaner. He approached Pratik Shah, a car rental businessman, requesting a vehicle equipped with a siren and curtains. Shah falsely claimed to be a director in the revenue department and an IAS officer.

To support his fabricated identity, Shah presented bogus letters claiming to be from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Science and Research Development, and a work permit to justify the installation of a siren and curtains on the vehicle.

Furthermore, Shah forged an appointment letter from the Ahmedabad District Education Officer (DEO) to offer a computer operator’s job in a government office to a complainant’s son. He also introduced himself as a trustee of a school and defaulted on a payment of Rs 7 lakh owed to another complainant for painting a school building.

Despite holding no official position in either the state or central government, Shah exploited fake work permits and NOCs to defraud people of substantial sums of money.

Police seized various incriminating items from Shah’s possession, including fake identity cards and letters bearing titles like “Bharat Gaurav Ratna Shri Samman Council,” “Chairman of the Department of Science and Research Development,” “Health and Family Welfare Department,” and “Road and Building Department.”