Arrest in Sitapur
Sitapur police have arrested a husband‑wife team accused of bilking roughly ₹27 lakh by pretending to be a Punjab National Bank manager and an Income Tax Department inspector. The suspects, Rohit Bajpai and his wife Annu Bajpai (also known as Chandra), hail from Kannauj.
How the Con Was Executed
Investigators say the duo first scouted the neighbourhood in May, then moved into a rented house in Prem Nagar on 31 August. Rohit introduced himself as the manager of the Mishrikh branch of Punjab National Bank, while Annu posed as an Income Tax officer, both brandishing forged identity cards to lend credibility.
Victims and Money Trail
Their initial victim, Ramnaresh Jaiswal, was persuaded to part with ₹20 lakh after being promised auctioned gold at a reduced price. He was later coaxed into paying another ₹2 lakh for a supposed exchange of damaged currency notes. Other victims included Premlata Bajpai, who lost ₹1 lakh, and laundry proprietor Atul, who was duped of ₹4 lakh.
Escape Route and Asset Seizure
Following the frauds, the couple fled by car on 14 September, hopping between vehicles and traversing Agra, Kota, Betul and Chennai in an attempt to evade capture. Authorities recovered ₹14 lakh in cash, jewellery valued at roughly ₹6 lakh, four mobile phones and several counterfeit identification documents. Two of the phones alone were estimated to be worth about ₹50,000.
Investigation Insights
Superintendent of Police Ankur Agrawal revealed that during questioning the pair admitted to orchestrating similar scams since 2005. Their pattern involved traveling across states, establishing trust under false pretences, extracting money, and then disappearing.
Reward for Leads
The police unit that dismantled the operation has been offered a reward of ₹25,000 for their successful effort.
