A 27-year-old man, who impersonated a government official to scam patients seeking free medical treatment at private hospitals, was arrested by Delhi Police, an official said on Sunday.
According to the police, the accused, Sonu, took advantage of the patients by offering forged letters from the Chief Minister’s office to secure free medical treatment under the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) scheme, all while pocketing a hefty fee.
“Sonu, who worked as a gardener on contract at the MCD’s Karol Bagh Zone, had managed to steal an official letterhead of the CM Office. He would then create fake letters on this letterhead, instructing private hospitals to offer free treatment to patients,” said Raja Banthia, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North).
Adding to his statement further, he said, “To further authenticate the fraud, he would pose as an official named Balbir Singh Rathee from the CM’s office and make phone calls to hospital staff.”
The scam came to light after the management of Maharaja Agrasen Hospital grew suspicious of a letter bearing numerous signs of forgery, spelling errors, inconsistent font, and misalignment.
After reaching out to the CM Office for verification, a police complaint was filed, leading to an investigation, the officer added.
Following extensive technical surveillance, police tracked Sonu to several locations and arrested him on Thursday in Tagore Garden.
“A search of his belongings revealed multiple forged letters, a fake MCD ID card, and even a motorcycle with a counterfeit number plate,” the DCP said.
In his confession, Sonu revealed he had been targeting patients who were struggling to pay for private hospital treatments. He charged them Rs 5,000 for providing them with a letter that promised free care.
He, during the questioning, admitted to having used Google Translate to forge the details of each patient into the fraudulent documents.
A case has been registered against him under the relevant sections of the BNS, including forgery and impersonation.
Further investigation into this case is ongoing for more details and connections involved, DCP Banthia mentioned.