‘Sarkari’ Mobile and Fake DGP Ties: Ludhiana Family Booked for Orchestrating Elaborate INR 89 Lakh Police Job Fraud
A family from New Shimlapuri is under investigation for allegedly pulling off an ₹89.9 lakh scam by promising a car dealer’s son a senior post in the Punjab Police. Police say they used forged documents, photos with politicians, and even a keypad phone falsely claimed to be a “sarkari” tracking device to run the con for months.
Ludhiana, February 22: A New Shimlapuri family is under investigation for allegedly orchestrating an elaborate ₹89.9 lakh scam, promising a local car dealer’s son a high-ranking position in the Punjab Police. The suspects reportedly used forged documents, photos with high-profile politicians, and a basic keypad mobile phone-claimed to be a high-tech "sarkari" tracking device-to sustain the deception over several months.
The victims, Parminderpal and his son Naman, were led to believe that a payment of ₹55 lakh would secure Naman a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank under the sports quota. Additionally, the accused allegedly induced the family to invest ₹34 lakh into a fraudulent aluminum printing venture. To build credibility, the lead suspect, Harjinder Singh, reportedly brandished photos with former chief ministers and claimed a close familial connection to a former Director General of Police (DGP). Stay Alert Against Digital Fraud, Update KYC Through Official Channels: PM Narendra Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
The ruse featured a particularly unusual element: a standard keypad phone that Harjinder claimed contained a "special chip" from the DGP’s office. He told the victims the device could track any phone in the state and message any police station directly. In reality, it was a common handset used to maintain the illusion of official authority.
The fraud came to light in November 2025 when Naman was given a forged joining letter for the Police Academy in Phillaur. The scam unraveled when Harjinder repeatedly made excuses to avoid accompanying the family to the induction ceremony. A subsequent police inquiry revealed that Harjinder had no departmental ties and his son was not an Assistant Sub-Inspector as previously claimed. 8th Pay Commission Scam Targets Govt Employees: How Fake ‘Salary Calculator’ APK Files on WhatsApp Are Draining Bank Accounts.
Shimlapuri police have registered an FIR against Harjinder Singh, his wife Kulwinder Kaur, and their son Unique Singh under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery. The trio remains at large as authorities continue their search.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2026 01:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).