A woman in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district was arrested for impersonating an IAS officer to enter a marriage. The accused allegedly used fake social media profiles to deceive her husband, later demanding Rs 40 lakh and his agricultural land. Police have registered a case against the woman and four of her family members for fraud, extortion, and criminal intimidation.
Police in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested a woman named Sadhana on charges of impersonating an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. The arrest followed a formal complaint filed by her husband, Abhishek, who alleged that he was deceived into the marriage through fake social media personas and doctored digital content.
According to the official investigation, the accused utilized various social media platforms, including Facebook, to create a false reputation as a government official. These fabricated profiles and media were allegedly used to build trust with the victim and his family prior to the wedding. The Superintendent of Police (South), Anshika Verma, confirmed that the accused admitted to these actions during interrogation.
Following the marriage, the husband reported that the behavior of the accused and her family changed. He alleged that he faced threats and physical assault. The complaint further details a demand for Rs 40 lakh, which the accused allegedly wanted the husband to raise by selling his agricultural land. The funds were reportedly intended to be used for the construction of a hospital on property owned by the accused in the Budaun district.
Authorities have registered an FIR at the Faridpur police station against Sadhana and four of her family members, including her father, Narendra Pal Singh, her brother, Surya Pratap, and her maternal uncle, Rajendra Singh. The charges include sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, which deals with punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resources.
During questioning, the accused, who holds a BSc degree and reportedly aspires to clear competitive government examinations, confessed to the fabrication of her identity and the attempted financial extortion. The investigation is currently ongoing as police work to determine the full extent of the involvement of the other family members named in the FIR. Authorities are also reviewing evidence related to the digital deception used to sustain the fake identity.