Beware of self-proclaimed cyber experts: A tech whiz arrested for impersonating as PMO official

New Delhi: Delhi police have arrested a computer whiz and a self-proclaimed cyber expert for allegedly impersonating as ‘youth advisor’ to the National Security Council at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

According to the police, the accused has been identified as Aniket Dey, a native of Assam. It was on September 11, Pankaj Kumar, Superintendent Customs in New Customs Office gave a complaint at IGI Airport police station of submission of counterfeit Notification issued by Directorate General Foreign Trade (DGFT) by M/s Sun Polybag Pvt Ltd to facilitate the export of three-ply face masks at Saudi Arabia.

During the investigation, the proprietor of the firm – Anuj Jain said that the DGFT notification was provided to him by PMO official Aniket Dey after charging a fee of Rs 7 lakh.

Banking transactions and mobile records were scanned to ascertain the link between Jain and Dey. Technical surveillance showed that Dey was currently living in Tinsukia District of Assam, who was arrested with the help of Assam Police.

Interestingly, this is not the first time when Anikey Dey has impersonated as PMO staff. Earlier this year he was nabbed by Bengaluru police for a similar offence. Between June 16-20 Dey stayed in a five-star hotel in Bengaluru. He booked the room online and showed an ID card, which said, ‘Youth adviser – PMO’s National Security Council’. Hotel staff, however, smelt something fishy on seeing Dey hiring an autorickshaw for travel. They alerted cops who arrested him. The Times of India in the report said that the PMO confirmed Dey was an imposter.

Delhi police said the 22-year-old self-styled cyber expert is a graduate from Amity University, Noida and pursuing his MA degree from JNU. On various platforms, he has identified himself as a cyber expert and had also written a book titled -The Three Tales.

Police said that they have recovered one phone and various documents with the details of Aniket Dey as Youth Advisor, National Security Council of India, Prime Minister’s Office from his possession. They are finding out if he has duped more people.