11 July,2026 08:42 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mumbai Police Crime Branch officers with arrested members of the gang that impersonated senior police officers to cheat citizens in multiple fraud cases. PIC/MUMBAI POLICE
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has arrested a 52-year-old man who allegedly impersonated a senior police officer and cheated citizens on the pretext of arranging bank loans, recovering money from builders and securing police recruitment, officials said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Gaus Ibrahim Khatib alias Dr Raj Khatib, allegedly used fake government identity cards and a car displaying a "POLICE" plate to gain the trust of victims. The crime branch has registered multiple cases against him and his associates following separate complaints.
The matter came to light on June 26, after a complaint was filed with crime branch unit-1. According to police, Khatib and his associates allegedly collected money from citizens promising to arrange bank loans and later cheated them.
A case was registered, following which three accused persons were arrested. During the investigation, police found that the gang had allegedly cheated several other people using a similar modus operandi.
During the probe, another complainant, a 35-year-old man, approached the crime branch and alleged that Khatib and his associate Rajesh Bade Singh Choudhary (46) claimed to be working with government departments.
Police said the accused allegedly promised to help recover money stuck with a builder along with interest or arrange a flat in the same project. They allegedly collected cash, bank transfers, and an iPhone from the complainant, amounting to Rs 15.90 lakh.
A case was registered, and Choudhary was arrested from Jaipur, Rajasthan. The investigation is being conducted by unit-1.
After details of the arrests surfaced on social media, another complainant approached the crime branch alleging that Khatib, his son Mashab Mohammadgaus Khatib (30) and another accused promised to secure police jobs for three youths known to him.
The accused allegedly collected Rs 12 lakh from the complainant but failed to fulfil the promise. A case has been registered, and crime branch unit-3 is investigating the matter.
The crime branch said the operation was carried out under the supervision of senior Mumbai Police officials, including Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Anil Kumbhare, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Krishna Kant Upadhyay, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection) Raj Tilak Roushan.
The investigation was conducted by teams from crime branch units 1 and 3 under the guidance of senior officers, police said. Further investigation is underway to identify other victims and members of the alleged gang.
