LUCKNOW: Pretend IAS officer Saurabh Tripathi projected himself as cupboard secretary on LinkedIn and X; on Fb, he ran a couple of IAS tagged profiles. An NGO gave him get admission to to authentic occasions throughout states, the place he frequently seemed because the “leader visitor,” turning in speeches and shedding hints of a soonto-come UP cadre posting.Fleet of luxurious vehicles, faux IDs, cast platesPolice searches at his place of dwelling exposed a Vary Rover Defender, a Mercedes Benz, and 3 Innovas — all beacon-fitted, with cast quantity plates and pretend secretariat passes. One even claimed to belong to a joint secretary, executive of India. Officers additionally seized a pc, cast Aadhaar and riding licences, beacon lighting fixtures, debit playing cards, and visiting playing cards sporting high-level designations. A bag with 25 cast paperwork and pretend passes additional published the size of his operations.Social media clout, VIP way of lifeTripathi’s social media profiles have been sparsely curated to construct credibility. He flaunted photos with the governor of Assam and the Goa CM, developing the easiest air of secrecy of authority. “He cleverly exploited VIP protocols to look authentic,” investigators stated. Police are nonetheless probing whether or not those photos are actual or morphed.The unravelingThe fraud unraveled when a Lucknow businessman, after attaining out to Tripathi for authentic paintings, grew suspicious and knowledgeable a senior IAS officer. The Native Intelligence Unit (LIU) started discreet exams, resulting in his arrest. DCP Crime Kamlesh Tripathi stated a multi-agency probe used to be underway. “His emails and accounts are below cyber research. We’re monitoring financial institution transactions and assets trails to spot sufferers throughout states,” he stated. A minimum of part a dozen folks have already come ahead, alleging they have been duped with guarantees of authentic favours.A parallel id in LucknowWhilst he lived the lifetime of a ‘faux IAS,’ Tripathi used to be hired as a Undertaking Supervisor at ABM Knowledgeware Ltd., running at the Double Access Accounting Gadget mission on the UP Directorate of Native Our bodies. This appears to be his actual id, asper police. Then again, every other FIR used to be lodged at Sushant Golfing Town police station for misrepresenting himself as particular secretary, City Construction Division, in social media posts.Police stated his spouse, a BTech graduate hired in a personal company, seemed blind to his double lifestyles. The couple, in conjunction with their two youngsters, lived in Lucknow, shielded by means of the appearance of respectability he had constructed. As investigations unfold throughout a couple of states, police are actually piecing in combination how one guy grew to become impersonation right into a occupation, residing excessive on deception till the masks slipped.