A 28-year-old man has been arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore for allegedly posing as an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and cheating a five-star hotel after hosting a party without paying the bill. According to police, the accused, identified as Himanshu Panchal from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, organised a gathering for 16 guests at the luxury hotel. When it was time to settle the payment, he allegedly claimed to be an IAS officer and assured the hotel staff that his personal assistant would clear the bill within two hours before leaving the premises. After the promised payment never arrived, the hotel management lodged a complaint with the police.
During the investigation, police traced Panchal to a rented house in the Lasudia area of Indore. Officers discovered a fake nameplate displayed outside the residence carrying the name “IAS Raj Soni” along with the designation “District Collector,” giving the impression that a senior government officer lived there. When questioned, Panchal failed to produce any official identity card, appointment order, or other documents proving that he was an IAS officer, confirming the police’s suspicion that he had been impersonating a civil servant.
Police have taken the accused into custody and launched a detailed investigation to determine whether he used the same fake identity to deceive other individuals, hotels, or government offices. Authorities are also examining if he obtained any financial or personal benefits by posing as a senior bureaucrat in the past. Officials have urged hotels, businesses, and members of the public to verify the identity of individuals claiming to hold high-ranking government positions before extending special privileges or services.
