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A 21-year-old man was detained by Army personnel in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur after allegedly impersonating a Brigadier and moving around in military uniform with forged credentials.

The accused, identified as Aryan Verma, was detained on Friday following a sting operation conducted at the Shaheed Museum inside the Shahjahanpur Cantonment area. Army officials had reportedly been monitoring him for nearly two months after receiving inputs that he was frequently seen wearing the ceremonial dress of a Brigadier and presenting himself as a senior military officer.

Bouncers Introduced As NSG Commandos

According to information gathered during the investigation, Verma allegedly hired two bouncers and introduced them as National Security Guard (NSG) commandos.

He reportedly claimed that he had been provided special security cover and projected the image of a high-profile military officer.

Officials also recovered a forged identity card purportedly carrying the seal of the dean of the Armed Forces Medical College. An Army regimental cane and a fake pistol were also seized from his possession.

Army Laid A Trap To Catch Him

After tracking his activities for several weeks, Army officials allegedly devised a plan to catch him in the act.

Officials, posing as civilians, reportedly invited Verma to deliver a motivational speech to young candidates preparing for recruitment examinations. The event was scheduled at the Shaheed Museum within the Cantonment area.

Verma arrived at the venue on Friday morning dressed in military uniform and travelling in a Harrier SUV bearing military stars and flags associated with senior officers, officials said.

Army personnel detained him immediately after his arrival.

Fake Government ID Recovered During Operation

During the operation, officials also recovered a fake government identity card from Verma's driver.

An Army Intelligence team from Bareilly has since taken over the investigation and is questioning the accused to determine the motive behind the alleged impersonation. Investigators are also examining the extent of the impersonation and the source of the forged documents and uniform.

NEET Aspirant Under Investigation

Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit said Army authorities were currently interrogating Verma.

Documents recovered during the operation revealed that Verma is 21 years old, had been staying in Delhi and was preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). He had allegedly failed the examination multiple times.

Verma, his associates and the items recovered during the operation have been handed over to the Sadar police station in Shahjahanpur for further investigation and legal action.

The Army is coordinating with local police in the matter.