A scam was recently found in Jalandhar, where a man identified as Javed Ali was pretending to be a railway vigilance inspector. He was taken into custody for playing an act and enjoying VIP treatment meant exclusively for railway officials. The Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) were immediately reported after the scam came into light.
Six months of the act
Javed Ali had been allegedly putting this act in front of people for nearly six months. He had been roaming around Ferozpur Railway station as a railway vigilance inspector. To make the role look real, he conducted fake inspections and accompanied the railway staff along with him to gain people’s trust. Officials believe he managed to convince railway employees of his fake identity, allowing him to move around railway premises without raising suspicion for several months.
Suspicion that led to his arrest
The alertness of Jalandhar railway officials helped the fraud come into light. According to a railway spokesperson, the accused was interfering in the functioning of railway staff when his behaviour appeared suspicious. To gain more clarity of the fraud, the Commercial Movement Inspector (CMI) told him to show a valid ID proof. Unable to give one, he was taken to he police and was reported
Realising that he was impersonating a government official, railway authorities immediately informed the GRP and RPF, who reached the station and took him into custody.
Legal actions taken against him
Parmadeep Singh Saini, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Ferozepur Division, said some legal actions have been taken against the accused. These include cheating, impersonation and obstructing government work. He said the Railways follows a zero-tolerance policy against people who misuse the identity of government officials or attempt to interfere in official railway functioning.
Previous records
During preliminary investigation, it was found out that Javed Ali was involved in such scams in the earlier years as well. Officials revealed that he had earlier been arrested at Moradabad Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh for posing as a fake Railway Vigilance Inspector. This raised questions on how he managed to play an act for these months.
Enjoyed VIP treatment, planned free AC travel
Javed Ali took full advantage of the role that he played. He enjoyed all the luxury exclusive to the railway authority. According to officials, he received VIP treatment at Amritsar Railway Station before arriving at Jalandhar Cantt. From there, he allegedly planned to travel to Ludhiana in an AC coach without purchasing a ticket.
Railways Issue Public Advisory
Following the incident, the Ferozepur Railway Division has issued an advisory asking both railway employees and passengers to remain vigilant against such scammers. Officials have urged people to always verify the identity card of anyone claiming to be a Railway Vigilance officer or any other senior railway official.