The police in Dehradun have apprehended an individual accused of defrauding leaders of the Congress party by impersonating Rahul Gandhi’s private secretary. The suspect, Gaurav Kumar, hailing from Amritsar, is believed to have misled numerous political figures nationwide by offering to secure election nominations and party appointments.
On Sunday, Congress leader Bhavna Pandey reported that the 42-year-old allegedly deceived her out of Rs 25 lakh with false promises of obtaining a party position. According to police statements, the accused utilized online resources to research prominent political leaders and their close associates.
Pandey recounted that a man, introducing himself as Kanishk Singh and claiming to be Gandhi’s private secretary, solicited Rs 25 lakh from her in exchange for facilitating a significant role within the party in Uttarakhand. To bolster his claims, the accused allegedly arranged for her to speak with individuals he claimed were senior party members, including Harish Rawat, Harak Singh, Yashpal Arya, and Ganesh Godiyal, who were supposedly discussing arrangements for multiple MLAs at a luxury hotel in Dehradun. They asserted that the expenses for their stays amounted to Rs 22.5 lakh, prompting her to provide Rs 25 lakh, as per her allegations.
On April 13, the suspect dispatched an accomplice to Pandey’s home in Jakhan, where the individual collected the funds in cash. Following this transaction, Pandey reported that the accused ceased communication and failed to return her money. She also noted that other party leaders received similar fraudulent calls. “This group has reportedly defrauded individuals in various states, including Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. I urge authorities to expose such gangs to prevent further victimization,” she stated in her complaint. Subsequently, a case was filed at Rajpur Police Station under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Using mobile tracking, CCTV analysis, and informant tips, the police gathered intelligence about the suspect. It was discovered that he was in contact with several senior Congress leaders in Uttarakhand and was planning to collect money from another party member near Pacific Mall, Jakhan, under the guise of arranging a ticket.
During questioning, the suspect revealed that he had learned about a man named Kanishk Singh, who served as Rahul Gandhi’s personal secretary from 2003 to 2015 and remained close to him. The accused subsequently created a Truecaller ID under this name and compiled extensive information regarding senior political leaders across the nation. According to police, in 2017, he defrauded two leaders in Jaipur, collecting Rs 1.90 crore and Rs 12 lakh under the promise of securing MLA tickets. Additionally, in 2025, he obtained Rs 3 lakh from a political activist in Patna in a similar scheme.
Aiswarya Raj, a Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, specializes in coverage of Uttarakhand. She began her career at the organization as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team and later honed her reporting skills in Gurugram and its surrounding areas before becoming a resident correspondent in Dehradun. An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she has reported extensively on state politics, governance, environmental issues, and gender matters. Aiswarya has conducted investigations using the Right to Information Act regarding law enforcement and public policy in Uttarakhand, as well as explored socio-economic narratives affecting local communities.
This dedicated focus on regional news fosters a high level of trust and authority on matters pertaining to Uttarakhand.
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