Chandigarh court denies police custody of fake army officer in fraud case

A Chandigarh court on Friday dismissed the request of the city police crime branch to take Ganesh, a man accused of fraud and impersonation, into their custody for seven days. The police had asked for remand to recover items such as an army uniform from Jaipur, a mobile phone from Gurugram, and a gold ring believed to have been obtained through cheating. They also argued that Ganesh’s statement had pointed towards other accused persons and even mentioned objectionable videos of minor girls.

However, the court was not convinced. The judge said that since the crime branch itself was facing allegations of custodial torture and harassment, it would not be fair to allow the same unit to keep the accused in custody. The court noted that Ganesh had earlier filed complaints against senior police officials, including SP (Crime) Jasbir Singh and inspector Satwinder Singh, accusing them of mistreating him. The defence lawyer also told the court that Ganesh had been severely beaten, could not speak or hear properly, and was denied medical care. Because of this, the court decided that sending him back to the same officers would harm his rights.

The court ordered that Ganesh be sent to judicial custody in Burail jail until the next hearing. It also directed the Chandigarh Director General of Police (DGP) to submit a report by September 6, 2025, on whether the investigation should be given to another police station. Importantly, the judge said that the case should not be handled by the crime branch or the station where the complainant is posted, to avoid any conflict of interest.

Allegations against police officers and past frauds

During the hearing, the court also examined new allegations made by Manpreet Kaur, a lady constable who is the complainant in the case. She claimed that inspector Ashok Kumar, a senior officer previously in the crime branch, was also involved in fraudulent activities. Kumar has since been transferred to the IRB battalion at Sarangpur, but the allegation raised more concerns about the fairness of the ongoing investigation.

The court further directed that Ganesh’s medical report should be produced and that CCTV footage from Government Hospital, Sector 16, must be preserved. Ganesh had alleged that he was denied proper treatment at that hospital after suffering custodial assault. The court said this evidence would be important to examine his claims of police mistreatment.

Ganesh, a resident of Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand, is not new to such charges. He has a history of posing as an army officer and cheating people. In 2021 and 2023, he was arrested in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for duping young men by promising them jobs in the armed forces. Despite his earlier arrests, he allegedly continued his fraudulent activities. The latest FIR against him was registered on June 16, 2025, at Sector-11 police station in Chandigarh under Sections 318 and 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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The court’s decision highlights a larger issue of accountability in policing. By denying custody to the crime branch, the court has underlined that investigations must not only be fair but also appear fair to the public. If the same officers accused of assault and harassment were allowed to handle Ganesh again, it could create serious doubts about the process. For now, Ganesh remains in judicial custody, and the future of the investigation depends on the DGP’s report.

This case also raises concerns about the safety of accused persons in custody and the responsibility of the police to ensure lawful treatment. While Ganesh has been accused of serious frauds, the court stressed that even those facing charges deserve protection of their fundamental rights.