Kerala - Alappuzha   

Man fleeces hotel posing as policeman

ALAPPUZHA: A man posing as a circle inspector attached to the anti-spirit squad led by Inspector General of Police (Crimes) Rishi Raj Singh was arrested by the Ramankary police here on Wednesday, after he managed to fleece a hotel here for nearly two months.

The man, Satyaneshan, 46, a native of Chettikulangara in Mavelikara, had introduced himself as the Ambalapuzha Circle Inspector at the hotel in Ramankary. Claiming that he was now moving around with Mr. Singh for raids on different hotel establishments as well, Satyaneshan began demanding food and whatever special delicacies the hotel had on a daily basis. The hotel authorities, obviously scared by the man’s claims, continued to yield to his demands which continued for two months.

“He used to visit the hotel every day, have food and then ask for parcels of whatever special items there were on the hotel’s menu that day,” the police said.

Along with this, saying that he had to pay his daughter’s fee, Satyaneshan ‘borrowed’ a total of Rs.5,500 from the hotel.

However, when he started to give excuses to return the money, the hotel owner got suspicious and alerted the Special Branch. SB sleuths waited at the hotel on Wednesday, since Satyaneshan had said he would arrive to return the money by noon.

On questioning, Satyaneshan first said he was with the Vigilance. But on further interrogation, he spilled the beans and courted arrest. The Ramankary Police, in whose custody Satyaneshan is now, said he was a telecom operator with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, working in Poochakal, near Cherthala. He resides with his family at the BSNL Quarters in Alappuzha.

The police have registered cases under sections 419, 420, 170 and 171 on counts of cheating and impersonation among other charges.

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