Months after blast, suspicious car near Red Fort raises alarm
What's the story
A 36-year-old man from Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, has been arrested for impersonating an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Delhi. The accused, Mudassar Ahmed Mir, was caught with a minor boy in a black Hyundai Santro car parked suspiciously behind the Red Fort. The car bore a Jammu and Kashmir registration number. The duo's presence raised suspicions, as it came months after a car blast near the monument killed 15 people.
Investigation progress
Fake ID card
When cops approached them, Mir produced an ID card resembling that of an NIA officer. "Mir presented an ID card purportedly of a field officer of the NIA, which on the face of it did not look genuine. The two individuals were quickly taken into custody (IB)," an officer said. However, the card was found to be fake during a joint investigation by Delhi Police Special Cell, NIA, and Intelligence Bureau.
Case
Boy was looking for work
During questioning, Mir revealed that he was acquainted with the teenager's family. The boy's father, a mason, had a paralytic attack four months ago while at work. Given his father's condition, the boy was forced to look for work. According to an officer, Mir offered to secure him a job in Delhi and collected ₹3,000 as a down payment. After the job was confirmed, he was to get paid ₹10,000.
Job scam
Minor a victim of job racket
The minor boy was brought to Delhi on February 12 and stayed at Bashir Guest House in the Jama Masjid area. Mir's cousin Shaakir also joined them later. Mir was introduced to a person, who ran an NGO, by two individuals, one of whom claimed to be associated with the NIA. "However, the person running the NGO expressed his inability to arrange any jobs for the duo. Shaakir left for Kashmir," deputy commissioner of police (north) Raja Banthia said.
Legal proceedings
Case registered against Mir
Banthia said the teenager was also planning to leave Delhi but was caught before that. "He is a victim of a job racket." Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia confirmed a case has been registered under sections 319 and 339 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Mir. He was arrested for allegedly cheating people with a fake identity promising jobs.