Sitapur Police have arrested a husband-wife duo accused of repeatedly changing identities, posing as government and bank officials and cheating people across several states.
The accused have been identified as Rohit Bajpai of Kannauj and his wife Annu Bajpai alias Chandra. Police allege that the couple recently cheated three people in Sitapur of ₹27 lakh after presenting themselves as a Punjab National Bank branch manager and an Income Tax officer.
Investigators say the couple had been involved in similar frauds since 2005 and that 10 cases against them have surfaced across five states.
Police recovered ₹14 lakh in cash, 38.740 grams of gold jewellery, forged identity documents and four mobile phones following their arrest.
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Couple Allegedly Used Fake Official Identities to Build Trust
According to Sitapur Police, the accused first surveyed the city before moving into a rented house in the Prem Nagar locality.
They allegedly moved into the property at the end of August.
Rohit presented himself as the branch manager of Punjab National Bank’s Mishrikh branch, while Annu allegedly claimed to be an Income Tax Inspector.
Police say fake identity cards were used to support these claims.
By presenting themselves as salaried officials with access to government and banking systems, the couple allegedly gained the confidence of their landlord and other local residents.
This alleged impersonation became the foundation for the fraud.
Investigators say the pair did not immediately demand money. Instead, they allegedly spent time building relationships before offering opportunities that appeared difficult for ordinary people to access.
Cheap Auctioned Gold and Old Currency Exchange Used as Lures
Police say the couple eventually told residents that they could arrange gold at discounted prices through bank auctions.
They also allegedly claimed that they could help exchange old or damaged currency notes.
One landlord was allegedly persuaded to hand over ₹20 lakh for auctioned gold and another ₹2 lakh for exchanging currency notes.
Another resident allegedly paid ₹1 lakh, while a laundry operator was allegedly cheated of ₹4 lakh.
The total amount alleged in the Sitapur case is ₹27 lakh.
The promises were never fulfilled, according to police.
The couple allegedly fled Sitapur on September 14 after obtaining the money.
Police Say Couple Changed Cities and Vehicles to Avoid Detection
Investigators say the accused did not remain in one place after leaving Sitapur.
Police traced their movements through Agra, Kota, Betul and Chennai.
The couple allegedly changed vehicles and locations while moving between cities, making it harder for investigators to establish their whereabouts.
Police eventually tracked them using technical information and other investigative leads.
Their movements are now being examined alongside previous cases registered in other states.
Investigators are also trying to determine whether the accused received help from other people while arranging accommodation, transport or forged documents.
₹14 Lakh Cash and Gold Recovered
Following the arrest, police recovered ₹14 lakh in cash from the accused.
They also seized 38.740 grams of gold jewellery.
Police allege that approximately ₹6 lakh from the cheated money had been used to purchase gold ornaments without bills.
The couple is also alleged to have spent around ₹50,000 on mobile phones, while another portion of the money was used for hotel stays, travel and day-to-day expenses as they moved between cities.
The recovery of cash and jewellery is expected to form an important part of the evidence as investigators attempt to establish how the money obtained from victims was spent.
Police Trace Similar Cases Across Five States
Sitapur Superintendent of Police Ankur Agarwal said the accused had allegedly admitted during questioning that they had been involved in fraud since 2005.
Police say cases connected to the couple have surfaced in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Bihar.
Locations cited by investigators include Jhansi, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Kushinagar and Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, along with Ujjain, Rewa and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh.
Cases have also reportedly surfaced in Bhubaneswar, Bikaner and Purnia.
Investigators are now gathering records from the different jurisdictions to establish the full scale of the alleged fraud.
Claims that losses across all cases run into crores of rupees remain subject to verification.
Police Probe Source of Forged Identity Documents
Another focus of the investigation is the origin of the documents allegedly used by the couple.
Police recovered forged identity cards and other documents that they suspect were used to support the false identities.
Investigators will need to determine who created those documents and whether additional people were involved in supplying them.
The accused allegedly relied on social credibility as much as forged documents.
By renting houses in residential neighbourhoods and presenting themselves as influential officials, police say they created an appearance of legitimacy before offering financial opportunities to potential victims.
This pattern is one reason local reports compared the pair with the fictional con artists from the Bollywood film Bunty Aur Babli.
The comparison is descriptive and does not form part of any formal police charge.
The couple have been produced before a court, while the allegations remain subject to investigation and trial.
Sitapur Police have announced a ₹25,000 reward for the team involved in the arrest.
What this means for you
Do not hand over money simply because someone claims to be a bank manager, tax officer or other government employee. Independently verify their identity through the concerned institution, and treat promises of discounted auctioned gold or unofficial currency exchange as major warning signs.
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