Gujarat: Man Held for Posing as IAF Squadron Leader, Duping Woman of INR 1.95 Lakh Over Defence Job
The Rajkot City Police arrested a 33-year-old man for allegedly posing as a Squadron Leader in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and defrauding a woman of ₹1.95 lakh under the pretext of securing her a job in the defense forces.
The Rajkot City Police arrested a 33-year-old man for allegedly posing as a Squadron Leader in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and defrauding a woman of ₹1.95 lakh under the pretext of securing her a job in the defense forces. The accused, identified as Prateek Bharadwaj, a resident of Rajkot who works at a local travel agency, was taken into custody following an investigation triggered by Gujarat’s newly launched cyber reporting initiative.
According to police officials, the victim-a woman in her mid-twenties from Rajkot currently residing in Gandhinagar-contacted Bharadwaj on Instagram after coming across his profile. Bharadwaj had posted photos wearing what appeared to be an IAF uniform and uploaded multiple videos featuring the Suryakiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT), the elite aerobatic display team of the IAF. Telugu YouTuber Nandana aka Nandu Detained at Hyderabad Airport in UK Visa Fraud Case.
During their interactions, Bharadwaj allegedly claimed to be a Squadron Leader posted at the Bidar Air Force Station in Karnataka—the operational home base of SKAT’s 52 Squadron. Leveraging this fictitious persona, he convinced the victim that he could facilitate an appointment for her in the Air Force, subsequently extracting ₹1.95 lakh from her over time.
Realizing she had been deceived when no recruitment materialized, the victim lodged a formal complaint on September 4 via the national 1930 Cyber Helpline. The matter was initially registered as an "e-Zero FIR" before being transferred to the Gandhigram-2 (University) Police Station in Rajkot for detailed investigation. Delhi: 6 Arrested for Fake Airline Job Racket Targeting Job Seekers Across India.
Police officials noted that Bharadwaj made little effort to conceal his phone number or true identity during the transaction, suggesting this may have been his first job-recruitment fraud. However, investigators disclosed that he carries a prior criminal record, including two existing cases under Gujarat’s Prohibition Act. Investigators are currently auditing the accused's financial records to ascertain whether additional job aspirants were targeted through the same social media persona.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 12, 2026 08:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
