Newspaper editor to fake ‘PMO official’: This J&K man ‘duped’ people of Rs 4 crore

Vijay Gupta, a 49-year-old newspaper editor from Jammu and Kashmir, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for allegedly impersonating an influential official in the Prime Minister's Office and cheating people of over Rs 4 crore. Gupta, who often visited the Civil Secretariat and met ministers and bureaucrats, projected an image of high-ranking government status, undertaking 26 foreign trips between 2016 and 2026, many coinciding with the Prime Minister's overseas visits.

He circulated photos with senior government officials and claimed to have unrestricted access to their offices. According to the ED, Gupta's arrest is based on an FIR lodged by the Delhi Police, alleging cash deposits totalling Rs 4.06 crore in his bank accounts, which they claim are proceeds of crime under the anti-money laundering law.

A Delhi court rejected his bail application, citing his failure to satisfy the conditions of the Prohibition of Money Laundering Act.