Bogus PSI held for cheating 20 women using dating apps in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: A 27-year-old man, who allegedly posed as a sub-inspector with Gujarat Police using AI-generated photographs, forged identity cards and fabricated cybercrime credentials, was arrested by the crime branch for allegedly cheating more than 20 women through dating and matrimonial applications.Police sources said the accused, Himanshu alias Rocky Panchal, resumed his fraud spree immediately after securing bail last year in a rape and impersonation case registered in Maharashtra and is suspected to have cheated at least 15 women thereafter.Crime Branch officials said Panchal, a Class X dropout from Udaipur, had been living in the Sabarmati area of the city. He never held a regular job and allegedly survived entirely on the money he extracted from women he emotionally manipulated through dating and matrimonial websites.He allegedly projected himself as a PSI posted with the cybersecurity wing of the crime branch and used AI-generated images of himself in a khaki uniform to establish credibility.Police recovered a mobile phone, Rs 40,000 cash, forged identity cards bearing the words “Govt of India” and “Crime Branch cybersecurity”, Gujarat Police logos, police belts, badges and Ashoka emblem stickers from his possession. Officials said he used AI, digital signature tools, and online stamp-making applications to create forged documents and letterheads that resembled official police stationery.According to police, Panchal first built trust among his targets through conversations and carefully curated social media profiles. He allegedly convinced several women that he was facing legal troubles, departmental inquiries or urgent official expenses and sought money under various pretexts.In one case, a Naroda woman allegedly gave him nearly Rs 1.8 lakh and even allowed him to use her bank account and sim card after he promised marriage. Another woman from Navrangpura allegedly transferred Rs 79,700 after he claimed he needed money for the house that was being constructed.Police said Panchal’s first known offence dates to 2019, when a woman from the city accused him of impersonation and cheating.Since 2023, he has allegedly refined his methods using AI-assisted conversations and fabricated police credentials. In 2024, a woman from Virar in Maharashtra lodged a rape and impersonation complaint against him, after which he spent nearly three months in jail before securing bail.“He resumed targeting women almost immediately after his release. Many victims may still not have approached police due to fear of stigma and social scrutiny,” a senior officer said. Women from Ahmedabad, Kheda, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were among those allegedly targeted, police said.Mother ‘aware’ of his activitiesCrime Branch officials suspect Panchal’s mother was aware of his fraudulent activities and may have actively helped sustain the deception. Officers said several women, including one from Naroda, had visited the family and discussed marriage proposals, believing Panchal was a police official.“His mother behaved as though she were searching for a suitable bride for her PSI son. At no point did she indicate that he was lying about his profession,” a senior officer said. Police are now examining whether she knowingly facilitated his wrongdoing.Swagger first, sympathy laterPolice said Panchal projected himself as a confident, stylish police officer in photographs uploaded on dating and social media platforms. Once a woman got comfortable speaking to him, he shifted to portraying himself as a troubled officer burdened by legal disputes, financial stress or departmental issues. Police said he frequently claimed that court cases or inquiries had exhausted his savings and sought financial assistance from his targets.In one instance, he reportedly met a woman’s father and convinced him that he had been falsely implicated in an Income Tax case but had emerged “clean”.Police recovered forged letterheads bearing the names of senior police officials and Income Tax authorities, which he allegedly used to strengthen his claims.From cybercrime accused to ‘PSI’Police said Panchal’s familiarity with cybercrime investigations may have ironically helped him impersonate law enforcement more convincingly. After being questioned in the 2019 impersonation case, he became fascinated by how cybercrime units operate. Over time, he allegedly began presenting himself as an officer attached to the crime branch cybersecurity. “He realized that most civilians would hesitate to question someone claiming to be from cybercrime or intelligence units. He exploited that psychological advantage,” an officer said.Lived as ‘future son-in-law’ with Kheda familyIn one of the more unusual episodes uncovered during the investigation, Panchal allegedly stayed with a family in the village of Dabhan in Kheda district for nearly two months after convincing them that he intended to marry their daughter.Police said Panchal and his mother approached the family seeking temporary accommodation after claiming they were facing housing difficulties. His soft-spoken manner and convincing communication reportedly earned the family’s trust quickly, and he began living with them almost as a member of the household.“He behaved respectfully, participated in family activities and projected himself as a responsible police officer preparing for marriage,” a police official said. Over time, villagers noticed discrepancies in his personal story and employment profile.As suspicions grew and the family became uncomfortable with gossip surrounding the arrangement, Panchal quietly left the village. Police believe the episode reflects the extent to which he embedded himself into victims’ personal lives before exploiting them.