Bodakdev police nab man posing as traffic cop near Hebatpur crossroads

A man allegedly posing as a traffic personnel and stopping motorists to demand driving licences and vehicle documents was apprehended in west Ahmedabad on Thursday, following an alert by personnel of the Ahmedabad Traffic Police.

The accused, identified as Bharatbhai Senva, was arrested by the Bodakdev Police Station for impersonating a police officer and carrying out unauthorised checks on commuters.

According to police, personnel of the N Division Traffic Police were on duty near Hebatpur crossroad when the incident came to light. With traffic relatively light at the time, traffic constables, along with Traffic Regulation Brigade (TRB) members and Home Guards, were stationed by the roadside.

They noticed a man dressed in khaki trousers and police-style boots stopping passing vehicles and asking motorists to produce their driving licences and registration papers. Finding his conduct suspicious, TRB personnel and traffic staff approached him and began questioning him about his identity and authority. Upon inquiry, the man failed to produce any official police identity card.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed his name as Bharatbhai Senva, a native of Vijapur taluka. Police said he is not associated with any wing of the police department.

Further investigation revealed that Senva has been employed for the past 13 years at a chartered accountant’s office in the Prahladnagar area of Ahmedabad. He reportedly commuted daily from Vadasan to Ahmedabad in his autorickshaw, working from 10 am to 6 pm.

Police suspect that after completing his office hours, he would don khaki attire and position himself on roads to stop motorists, creating an impression that he was part of the traffic police machinery. Officials are probing whether he extorted money from any vehicle owners or merely sought to assert authority.

A complaint in the matter was lodged by a traffic constable of N Division, following which the Bodakdev police registered an offence and arrested the accused.

Police Inspector A S Patel of Bodakdev Police Station said that the accused is a father of three children and had no legitimate connection with the police force. “He had neither identification nor authorisation to conduct vehicle checks. We are investigating how long he had been engaging in such activities and whether similar incidents occurred in other areas,” Patel said.

The police are also examining whether any motorists were threatened or coerced during the impersonation.