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Lucknow Police arrested Saurabh Tripathi, who posed as an IAS officer for years using forged documents, luxury cars, and fake security cover to fool leaders across states.
Fake IAS officer arrested in Lucknow (Photo: News18)
Who is fake IAS Saurabh Tripathi, the man who fooled the system, leaders and officials? To many in Uttar Pradesh, Saurabh Tripathi was a Special Secretary in the state government. To those outside UP, in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, or Uttarakhand, he introduced himself as a Secretary in the Central Government.
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For years, this man, without a civil services rank letter or even an official posting order, managed to slip into meetings, restricted offices, and corridors of power, leaving people convinced that he was indeed a senior IAS officer.
On Wednesday, Lucknow Police arrested 38-year-old Tripathi, bringing to light one of the most audacious cases of impersonation in recent memory.
His carefully crafted persona, backed by forged documents, expensive vehicles, and social media optics, not only duped individuals but also raised serious questions about the security lapses in the system itself.
THE DOUBLE LIFE OF AN IMPOSTOR
Tripathi’s modus operandi was deceptively simple yet highly effective. Within Uttar Pradesh, he posed as a Special Secretary, wielding the kind of influence and authority associated with senior bureaucrats.
The moment he travelled outside the state, he rebranded himself as a Central Government Secretary, opening new doors to exploit businessmen, local officials, and unsuspecting citizens.
His police confession details how he used this dual identity to extract money in UP, while in other states, he relied on gifts and favours.
“Every move was calculated, the vehicles, the guards, the forged passes, everything was designed to look real,” an officer involved in the investigation said.
A LAVISH LIFE IN LUCKNOW
When police raided Tripathi’s residence in the early hours of Tuesday, they found him living like a top bureaucrat in the upscale Shalimar One World complex in Gomti Nagar Extension.
His neighbours never suspected that the man next door was a fraud. Everything about his lifestyle, from his attire to his mannerisms, screamed “IAS officer.”
Tripathi’s life was designed to mirror that of a powerful officer. He moved around in SUVs with a beacon, escorted by private guards. At least one guard was seen wearing a police uniform, creating the perfect illusion of official security cover. He carried forged Secretariat passes, NIC email IDs, and displayed his convoy-like movement in public spaces to command respect.
On social media, he amplified this image by posting photographs alongside prominent leaders, kathavachak Prembhushan Maharaj, and senior bureaucrats.
For anyone scrolling through his accounts, he was exactly what he claimed to be, an influential IAS officer with access to the highest levels of governance.
CONVOY OF LUXURY CARS
Investigators also recovered six high-end vehicles, including a Defender, Fortuner, Innova, and Mercedes. Each car carried fake “Government of India” or “Uttar Pradesh Secretariat” passes prominently displayed on the windshield.
Police sources said he used these vehicles strategically, driving a Fortuner to official-style meetings, while flaunting the Mercedes or Defender during business deals to create an aura of power. The cars were more than just transportation; they were props in his grand deception, signalling authority to anyone who encountered him.
“Whether it was a business meeting or a government event, he had a specific car ready to match the occasion. He understood the psychology of perception and used it to perfection,” said a police investigator.
A WEB OF FORGERY
When the police raided his residence and belongings, the extent of the forgery shocked them. Seized items included a laptop, multiple fake ID cards, visiting cards with government designations, forged Secretariat passes, NIC mail IDs, an official-looking diary, and Rs 11,000 in cash.
Investigators describe his document collection as “a full ecosystem of deceit.” It wasn’t just about one or two fake cards, it was a parallel bureaucratic life he had designed for himself, complete with every paper trail to back his claims.
SPREAD BEYOND UTTAR PRADESH
Tripathi’s operations were not confined to Lucknow or Uttar Pradesh. His roots trace back to the Mau district in eastern Uttar Pradesh. His permanent address is near Fatima Hospital in Imaliya, Sarai Lakhansi police station area.
He also maintained a residence in Noida’s Garima Vihar (Sector 35) under the Sector 24 police station limits.
His third and most prominent base was the plush Belvedere Court-1 tower in Shalimar One World, Lucknow.
He had extended his network to Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi, where he presented himself as a Central Government officer, cultivating relationships with officials and businessmen who never suspected foul play.
A senior officer said, “His confidence and paperwork were so convincing that even trained eyes found it difficult to doubt him.”
THE POLICE CRACKDOWN
According to Wazirganj Police Station in-charge Rajesh Kumar Tripathi, the accused was caught during a checking drive near Kargil Shaheed Park.
From him, the police recovered a laptop, several fake ID cards, forged Secretariat passes, NIC mail IDs, visiting cards, and Rs 11,000 in cash.
“Every point is being investigated. He has given us several important details, and we are verifying the extent of his network,” the officer said.
The sheer volume of forged documents has surprised investigators, many of whom describe it as one of the most detailed impersonation networks they have seen in years.
Lucknow Police is now digging deeper into his contacts, financial transactions, and movement records across states.
Saurabh Tripathi may now be behind bars, but his saga is more than a story of a fraudster.
September 05, 2025, 11:56 IST
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