Teen Impersonates Jay Shah, Demands ₹5 Lakh from BJP MLA in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand Police arrested 19-year-old Priyanshu Pant for allegedly posing as Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah, and demanding ₹5 lakh from BJP MLA Adesh Chauhan of Haridwar’s Ranipur constituency. The police arrested Pant in Delhi and found him with the mobile phone used to make the fraudulent call. Pant had worked with two accomplices: Uvesh Ahmed, who the police arrested in Rudrapur, Udham Singh Nagar district, and Gaurav Nath, who is currently on the run.

The incident began on Sunday evening when MLA Adesh Chauhan received a phone call from someone claiming to be Jay Shah. The caller asked for a ₹5 lakh donation for the BJP’s party fund. Initially, Chauhan didn’t suspect anything, but as the conversation continued, he grew more suspicious. When he questioned the caller, the person responded with offensive language and further threatened to defame Chauhan on social media if he didn’t provide the money. This raised alarms for Chauhan, prompting his public relations officer, Romish Kumar, to file a formal complaint with the Bahadarabad police station.

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Investigation Uncovers Criminal Network Impersonating Jay Shah for Extortion

During the investigation, police tracked the mobile phone’s call data records, IMEI numbers, and locations to uncover the criminal network. The police conducted successful raids in Ghaziabad and Delhi. After his arrest, Pant confessed that he and his associates planned to extort money from prominent politicians, including MLAs, to fund a more luxurious lifestyle. They also targeted two other Uttarakhand MLAs: Nainital MLA Sarita Arya and Rudrapur MLA Shiv Arora, offering ministerial positions in exchange for large sums of money.

As a result of the investigation, separate cases have been filed in Nainital and Rudrapur. The police have intensified efforts to capture the third accomplice, Gaurav Nath, who remains at large. This case underscores the growing trend of impersonation scams targeting politicians and highlights the importance of verifying the identities of individuals making unsolicited financial demands.

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