Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested Pulkit Maharaj alias Pulkit Mishra, a resident of Sahibabad in neighbouring Ghaziabad for allegedly seeking favours by posing as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “spiritual guru”.

The incident came to light after an assistant director posted with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) approached Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik and alleged in his complaint that Maharaj was misusing the PM’s name. 

The PMO reported the matter to police after they discovered that a fraudulent letter was issued to the District Magistrate of Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur in the name of Parul claiming to be the secretary, Ministry of Arts and Culture, seeking security and accommodation for Maharaj and his disciples who wanted to visit an old temple in Sitapur.

The PMO official alleged in his complaint that this was a case of misusing the PM’s name, and requested Delhi chief to investigate following which the matter was forwarded to the special operation squad of the Crime Branch. Police substantiated the allegations and an FIR was lodged in month of August.

“The accused posed either as Director of Ministry of Art and Culture to seek Government accommodation or security from the District Magistrate or other Government officials. On investigation it was found that there are no persons with such names in the Ministry office. Pulkit had also forged photographs of himself with the Prime Minister and other high-profile officials. The accused has been also asking security and VIP protocol in different States posing as the guru of the Prime Minister,” said Joy Tirkey, Deputy Commissioner of police (DCP), crime branch.

“The accused have been sent on police remand for five days by Patiala house court. His sister Parul had posed as a secretary in the letter send to DM Sitapur. She has not been yet arrested. Further investigation is going on,” said the DCP.