CISF apprehends alleged serial fraudster using multiple fake identities at Pune Airport

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], September 24 (ANI): The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Thursday apprehended an alleged serial fraudster at Pune Airport for allegedly duping an arriving passenger by seeking money on false pretences and later found that the accused was operating under multiple identities, officials said.
According to the CISF release, the accused was intercepted by CISF personnel at around 0545 hours after he allegedly approached a passenger arriving from Hyderabad on official duty by IndiGo flight 6E-351 and sought financial assistance of Rs 20,000 by narrating a sympathetic story.
The passenger, acting on humanitarian grounds, transferred Rs 11,000 to a Google Pay account provided by the accused. However, personnel deployed at the CISF Security Operations Control Centre (SOCC) and the Crime and Intelligence Wing (CIW) noticed the suspicious interaction and immediately intervened for verification.
During questioning and document verification, CISF personnel found discrepancies in the identity documents of the accused. The Google Pay account used for receiving money was registered in the name of Gujjaralapudi Bala Koteswara Rao, while his Aadhaar card and driving licence carried the name MV Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
Further, a faculty identity card of Parul University recovered from his possession mentioned another name, Alluru Shyam Prasad, as per the release.
Unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the multiple identities and the third-party financial transaction, the accused was detained by CISF personnel. After being informed about the findings, the passenger realised that he had been deceived and expressed his willingness to file a formal complaint.
The CISF said the apprehension was a result of heightened surveillance by its Intelligence Wing following a similar fraud incident reported at the airport on September 1, 2026, where a departing passenger was allegedly cheated of Rs 18,600 using an identical modus operandi.
"By matching the apprehended suspect's activities with CCTV footage from the September 01 incident, investigators confirmed he was the same perpetrator. During further questioning, the suspect admitted his involvement in the previous fraud, for which a Cyber Crime complaint had already been lodged," the CISF said in its release.
Following preliminary investigation and the formal complaint by the arriving passenger, the accused was handed over to Vimantal Police Station, Pune, for further legal action and detailed investigation.
The CISF reiterated its commitment to ensuring passenger safety and security at airports and maintaining zero tolerance towards criminal activities within its jurisdiction. (ANI)