Rajkot police arrest man for posing as Indian Air Force officer

Rajkot police have arrested 33-year-old Pratik Bhardwaj for allegedly impersonating an Indian Air Force (IAF) Squadron Leader to defraud a woman of ₹1.95 lakh.

Bhardwaj reportedly used Instagram to build a false persona, posting photos in what appeared to be an IAF uniform and videos featuring the Suryakiran Aerobatics Team. He claimed to be stationed at the Bidar Air Force Station in Karnataka and promised the victim assistance in securing a defense job. After receiving multiple installments totaling ₹1.95 lakh, the victim realized no recruitment was forthcoming and reported the fraud via the national cyber helpline.

Following a technical investigation, police apprehended Bhardwaj at his residence in Rajkot. Authorities seized two mobile phones as part of the investigation, which is being conducted under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.