The Delhi Police has arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly impersonating as a police officer and taking away mobile phones and wallet from another man in southeast Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar area.

The accused has been identified as Mahender Pal alias Sandeep. Police said  he works as a private guard at an outlet near Udhyog Vihar Metro Station and was previously found involved in a case of cheating.

According to R P Meena, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast district, the incident took place on June 9, when Rajender Kumar Tiwari along with his friends was going to his residence from market.

“At about 10.40 AM, near Moolchand flyover, one person on motorcycle wearing Khaki pant, khaki shocks, black shoes posing himself as a police officer overtook and stopped them. He took their mobile phones and  wallet to check their identity and run away from the spot,” said the DCP.

“A case under section 419 (Punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of Indian Penal Code was registered and police teams were constituted. Police teams also scanned CCTV footages installed in nearby vicinity of the incident,” said the DCP.

“With the help of ownership details of the offending bike, the suspect was identified as Mahender Pal, a resident of Mundka, outer Delhi. The team raided the location and nabbed him. Three mobile phones, one wallet, an offending bike and clothes worn at the time of incident were recovered from his possession,” said the DCP.

“During sustained interrogation, the accused disclosed that he is addicted to alcohol and drugs. To fulfill his drug requirements, he started to cheat passers-by with the identity of a police officer,” the DCP added.