Imposters and cheats have found a safe haven in the tribal areas of this district.Mohit Chawla, Senior Superintendent of Police, said police had arrested a 5-member gang of imposters who were cheating the goldsmiths and others in some parts of Karsog and Chachyot tribal belts of the district.
The gang members who pretended to be the members of anti-corruption bureau carrying fake identity cards were inspecting shops in Karsog and Chuag areas. They had collected Rs50, 000 from two shopkeeper at Karsog, but caught in the police net when trying to cheat 2 traders of Churag, who rang up the police on 100. Police rushed to the shop and took all the culprit under custody.
A case under sections 419, 420, 120 and 170 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the members of the gang.One of the accused is a retired captain of army from Harmirpur. All of the arrested persons were produced in a court at Mandi and were remanded to police custody for 5 days
The police official said efforts were being made to investigate if the gang had any links elsewhere in the state and contacts with the heads of police in the entire state were being established. Therefore, SIT had been constituted to probe the case at length.Meanwhile, the police is also hunting for the person who made the fake identity cards.