Security guard held for posing as CBI officer

The Kalwa police in Thane have arrested a 21-year-old security guard for posing as a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) officer and committing a theft.

The accused threatened the victim with a sharp knife and robbed Rs 1 lakh from his residence cupboard. The police said the accused and two other people had committed the crime, and the search is going on to trace two others.

The police said the arrested accused is identified as Rupesh Gangaram Gogawale, 21, a resident of Kopri in Thane. The incident took place at 7.30 pm in a residential complex in Kalwa.

The 32-year-old woman complainant stays with her husband and owns a cutlery business in Thane. "On Tuesday at 7 pm, the businessman reached his residence from work. At 7.30 pm, three people, including Gogawale, knocked on the door. Posing as CBI officials, they entered the house claiming to carry out a search operation. One of them went to the kitchen and got a knife, and demanded Rs 1 lakh. After taking the cash, they escaped," said a police officer from Kalwa police station.

The police said while two of them got away. The complainant raised the alarm asking for help. With the help of neighbours, Gogawale was arrested and handed over to the police.

"We have arrested the accused Gogawale, who was produced in court. He claimed to be a security guard and was caught by the locals. We are in search of two others who got away. We are scrutinizing the CCTV footage to trace the accused," said Kiran Baghdane, police sub-inspector, Kalwa police station.

The Kalwa police have registered a case under section 384 (Punishment for extortion), 386 (Extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt), 170 (Personating a public servant), 419 (Punishment for cheating by personation), 492 (Breach of contract to serve at distant place to which servant is conveyed at master's expense) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian penal code.