Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Man Arrested for Allegedly Impersonating Air Force Officer, Cheating Woman
Police in Rajkot arrested a man accused of pretending to be an Indian Air Force officer.
They say he used Instagram to appear connected to the Air Force.
A woman contacted him because she believed he was genuine.
He allegedly promised to help her get an Air Force job.
Police say she gave him Rs 1.95 lakh.
The man reportedly claimed he worked at the Bidar Air Force Base.
Police said he actually worked at a travel agency in Rajkot.
Investigators are checking whether other people may also have been cheated.
Rajkot City Police arrested 33-year-old Prateek Bharadwaj for allegedly posing as an Indian Air Force Squadron Leader.
Police allege he promised a woman an IAF job and took Rs 1.95 lakh from her.
The woman contacted Bharadwaj through an Instagram profile showing him in what appeared to be an Air Force uniform.
Bharadwaj reportedly claimed he was posted at Bidar Air Force Base and shared videos of the Suryakiran Aerobatics Team.
The case was the first e-Zero FIR transferred to Rajkot City Police after the complaint was filed through the 1930 Cyber helpline.
- Who
- Rajkot City Police arrested Prateek Bharadwaj, who is accused of impersonating an Indian Air Force officer; the complainant is a woman in her mid-twenties.
- What
- Bharadwaj allegedly used a false Air Force identity to promise the woman a job and cheat her of Rs 1.95 lakh.
- When
- The woman filed her complaint on September 4, and Bharadwaj was arrested on Friday, September 11.
- Where
- The complaint was transferred to Rajkot City Police; the alleged contact occurred through Instagram, while Bharadwaj claimed to be posted at Bidar Air Force Base in Karnataka.
- Why
- Police allege he used the false identity and job promise to obtain money from the woman.
- Accused
- Prateek Bharadwaj, 33
- Alleged loss
- Rs 1.95 lakh
- Complaint date
- September 4
- Arrest date
- Friday, September 11
- Contact platform
- Cyber helpline
- 1930
- Investigation status
- Police are investigating whether there were other alleged victims.