Mumbai, Sep 10 (PTI) A 24-year-old man arrested earlier this week for allegedly using a fake Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) card at a luxury shopping mall in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) area has claimed he wanted to impress his family and convince them he was working for a “worthy cause”, a police official said on Thursday.
Rohan Parikh (24) was arrested with a fake PMO card after the man accompanying him, identified as Dilip Kunde (49), was found to be carrying a firearm and an argument ensued between the duo and Jio World Plaza mall’s security staff.
During the argument, Parikh allegedly claimed he was a PMO official. The incident took place on September 7, a day prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s event at the adjacent Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre.
Investigators suspect Parikh used Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to forge the digital PMO identity card and are currently verifying the technical details.
“During questioning, Parikh claimed he wanted to convince his family he was associated with a worthy cause and working for the PMO. However, we are not convinced by this explanation and are actively examining other potential motives,” the official said.
Parikh’s claim of receiving an email in 2024 confirming his selection for a role at the PMO is also being probed, the official added.
As per police, Parikh, Kunde, and another person identified as Prathamesh Bagul, gained entry into the upscale shopping mall after Parikh presented the digital PMO ID to security staff. The trio subsequently purchased a perfume and a wallet before exiting the premises.
Efforts are on to nab Bagul, the official said.
Parikh and Kunde have been remanded in police custody till September 11. PTI ZA BNM
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