Posing as PMO Official, Woman Enters Bengal Secretariat; Arrested in Delhi

A woman allegedly posing as a high-ranking official of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was arrested in Delhi after she reportedly used a false identity and purported credentials to enter West Bengal’s state secretariat, Nabanna, in Kolkata.

The woman, identified as Akangsha Vidyarthi, who is in her 30s, allegedly managed to secure a meeting with West Bengal Public Works Minister Ajay Poddar on Wednesday afternoon. According to police, she presented herself as a senior PMO official and was able to gain access to the heavily guarded government complex.

During the meeting, however, the minister reportedly became suspicious of her credentials and the statements she was making. Police said that Poddar questioned her about her identity and official position after noticing inconsistencies in her claims.

Minister became suspicious during meeting

According to the police, Vidyarthi left the minister’s office soon after she realised that her claims were being questioned. The minister’s staff subsequently alerted the police, following which the Shibpur police began investigating the incident.

By the time investigators started looking for her, police found that Vidyarthi had already travelled to Delhi.

The incident has raised questions about how an individual allegedly using a false government identity managed to pass security checks and enter Nabanna, one of the most important administrative buildings in West Bengal.

Police team travels to Delhi

The Shibpur police registered a case against Vidyarthi under provisions relating to allegedly impersonating a public servant, cheating by personation and using forged documents.

A police team led by a woman officer travelled to Delhi overnight. Investigators subsequently located Vidyarthi at her residence in central Delhi and took her into custody on Thursday.

Police are now seeking a transit remand to bring her back to Kolkata for further questioning.

A Howrah city police officer said investigators are examining the credentials allegedly used by Vidyarthi to obtain access to the minister. Authorities are also trying to determine whether she had assistance from anyone in West Bengal or elsewhere.

“We are obtaining a transit remand to bring her back to Kolkata for further interrogation,” the officer said, adding that police were also checking whether she had local accomplices.

Investigation into fake credentials

One of the key aspects of the investigation is determining how Vidyarthi established her alleged identity as a PMO official.

Police are verifying the authenticity of the documents and other credentials that she reportedly presented while seeking the meeting. Investigators are also expected to examine communications and other records to determine how the meeting was arranged.

The police are also looking into whether the woman had attempted to contact other government officials using the same identity.

The incident comes amid several recent cases in which individuals have allegedly used fake links to the PMO or fabricated government credentials to gain access to officials, government establishments or other high-security locations.

Previous cases involving fake PMO identities

Last month, Mumbai Police arrested two men who allegedly used a fake PMO identity card to enter Jio World Plaza in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex. The incident took place shortly before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Mumbai for the Global Fintech Fest 2026.

Police, however, clarified that the alleged fake-ID incident was not connected with the Prime Minister’s visit or the official programme.

In another case, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Jammu-based businessman and newspaper founder-editor Vijay Gupta in Delhi on May 20. Investigators alleged that Gupta had posed as an influential PMO official and cheated people by promising to use his supposed government connections to get their work done.

According to the investigation in that case, Gupta had cultivated access to political and administrative circles in Jammu and Kashmir, which allegedly helped him create an impression of having influence within the government.

The latest case in West Bengal is therefore being examined not only as an alleged impersonation case but also in the context of whether the accused had a broader plan involving government officials or other individuals.

For now, police are verifying the documents allegedly used by Vidyarthi, tracing her movements and contacts, and investigating how she obtained access to Nabanna.

Further questioning after she is brought to Kolkata is expected to provide more details about her alleged motive, the source of the credentials and whether anyone assisted her.