Ghaziabad police have arrested a 66-year-old man, Krishna Shekhar Rana, who falsely identified himself as an envoy of Oman to avail police protocol services. The accused, a resident of Amar Colony in Delhi, was apprehended at UP Gate in Ghaziabad. At the time of his arrest, authorities recovered a black Mercedes, an identity card, and 46 visiting cards from his possession.
According to Trans Hindon Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Nimish Patil, Rana has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigations revealed that he was formerly a professor of Zoology in Agra and owned Krishna College of Science and Technology in Agra, as well as a resort in Rajasthan.
After retiring from his academic career, Rana worked as an Appraisal Authority in the Union Environment Ministry from 2015 to 2018, where his role involved granting environmental clearances. However, police have yet to receive a response from the Environment Ministry regarding his tenure.
During interrogation, Rana claimed to be the vice chancellor of four universities. Further inquiries exposed his association with the NGO India GCC Trade Council, where he held the position of trade commissioner. However, he misused this title and falsely identified himself as the High Commissioner of Oman to gain government privileges and protocol services.
The fraud was uncovered when he submitted a request to the Ghaziabad Police for protocol services. Upon verifying his documents, authorities found them suspicious, leading to a detailed inquiry. During questioning, Rana eventually confessed that he was not a High Commissioner but merely a trade commissioner.
His primary motive, as stated by police, was to exploit government privileges and protocol services. Investigations are ongoing to determine if he had used his false identity in other locations or for further fraudulent activities.
