Shillong, May 25: Meghalaya Police have apprehended a 39-year-old man identified as Richard Tiplang Swer of Wahingdoh, on charges of impersonating an Intelligence Bureau (IB) Officer from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Swer allegedly duped job seekers by promising them employment opportunities.
The arrest was confirmed by SP (City) Vivek Syiem, who stated that Swer is scheduled to be presented before the Court. During the arrest, a Bolero vehicle (registration number ML-05-Z-3007) equipped with a siren and VIP blinker, along with a mobile phone, laptop, and incriminating documents, were seized from Swer’s residence in Wahingdoh.
Two separate cases have been registered against Swer at the Mawlai Police Station and Lumdiengjri Police Station, respectively.
According to Syiem, the investigation was initiated based on a complaint received on May 16. The complaint alleged that Swer, posing as an IB Officer, had offered job placements in the Shillong Secretariat through the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) and District Selection Committee (DSC). He instructed job seekers to contribute an amount according to their qualifications.
Over the past year, 38 individuals handed over a total of Rs 80 lakh to Swer in hopes of securing the promised positions. However, when the commitments were not fulfilled, Swer evaded the complainant.
Another First Information Report (FIR) was filed at the Lumdiengjri Police Station on May 22. The complainant stated that Swer had impersonated himself as an officer from the Police Special Branch, offering employment opportunities within the Police Department. However, applicants were required to pay Rs 1 lakh for non-matriculated positions and Rs 50,000 for matriculated positions.
One of the complainant’s friends handed over an advance payment of Rs 50,000 to Swer through his driver at Motphran, Shillong, in March 2023.
Police has urged anyone who has fallen victim to this impersonator to file a formal complaint (FIR) at their nearest police station, providing relevant details to aid in the ongoing investigation.
