Posing for profit: Police arrest fake ASP for extortion

Police arrest an imposter involved in extorting money from people by introducing himself as a police official.

MUZAFFARABAD: Police arrested an imposter allegedly involved in extorting money from people by introducing himself as an assistant superintendent of  police (ASP) on Friday. Shakar Garh resident Abid Mehmood had been living in Muzaffargarh for the past one month and was accused of extorting money from several people.

The alleged imposter was handed over to police by senior advocate Rao Asif Hameed after he contacted him and said that he could help promote his brother from the rank of assistant sub inspector (ASI) provided he was given permits for fertiliser and cement businesses. The senior lawyer became suspicious due to his behaviour and when the man failed to answer his questions he contacted the police. Senior police authorities have denied the existence of any ASP in the police department by the name Abid Mehmood. Rao Asif Hameed handed over the imposter to the district police officer (DPO) and Muzaffargarh City Police have taken the man into custody and registered an FIR against him under Sections 420, 468 and 171 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th,  2011.