Man posing as joint secretary held in Ujjain

Ujjain: A man posing as a joint secretary of central govt was arrested in Ujjain after he allegedly tried to secure a VIP access for Bhasma Aarti at Mahakaleshwar temple, police said on Sunday.The man, identified as Atul Kumar, a resident of Dwarka in New Delhi, had booked two rooms at the circuit house claiming to be a joint secretary in aviation ministry. His claim came under scrutiny when he allegedly attempted to exert pressure on officials for Bhasma Aarti permission and failed to produce a valid identity card.Mahakal police station in-charge Gagan Badal said suspicion arose after protocol officials flagged the matter. "The accused was insisting on permissions citing his position but was reluctant to show any official ID. On verification, his claims appeared doubtful, following which he was taken into custody," he said.During questioning, the accused told police he worked as a duty manager at an airport, contradicting his earlier claim of being a senior bureaucrat.An FIR was registered against him under Section 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating by impersonation. The accused had arrived in Ujjain with his wife and a friend.