ISLAMABAD, Dec 29 A man was arrested on the charge of defrauding citizens by impersonating a senior superintendent of police (investigation).

The capital police were informed by a resident of Kharian that he received a call from a man who introduced himself as SSP investigation Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood and requested for financial aid for a patient admitted to a hospital in Lahore.

However, when he verified from the police he came to know that there was no senior superintendent of police in the investigation department, as the capital police's investigation wing works under an SP.

However, he had paid money to the impersonator though a bank. After lodging of a formal complaint with the SP investigation Saqib Sultan, a team was formed under the supervision of incharge Crime Investigation Agency to arrest the man.

The team succeeded in tracing the accused (MA), a native of Pakpatan.

The accused used to impersonate himself as DIG and SSP Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood and make phone calls to wealthy people seeking financial help on the pretext of treating some fake patients.

In this regard, he was operating a bank account at a bank in Lahore for receiving money from people.

The Shalimar police registered a case against the accused and produced him before the court of law which gave him in police custody for two days' physical remand.

Efforts are in progress to arrest his accomplices.

Earlier, a man was arrested by Margalla police for allegedly impersonating an SP and sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand though later he was found innocent.

Mohammad Jamil was intercepted by three persons in plainclothes near Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on December 22 while going home from his workplace at F-8.

The men introduced themselves as officials of the capital police, including an SP, and demanded his physical search.

The persons also produced police identity cards on the demand of Mr Jamil. On pretext of search, the culprits snatched Rs5,000 in cash and other valuables from Mr Jamil.

The victim approached the officials of Islamabad Traffic Police who were on duty nearby and complained about the incident.

The ITP officials rushed to the spot and captured a man from the wooded area and handed him over to the Margalla police.

During interrogation, the man told the police that the ITP officials captured him near Pims. During his physical search, the police recovered a CNIC and Rs10 only. He worked as a security guard at F-7.

Later, he was produced before victims robbed by culprits personating themselves as police officials in the area of Kohsar police. But all denied his involvement in the crime.

The Margalla police said the group who looted Mr Jamil had already escaped from the scene when the ITP officials arrived there.