Man enters air force station posing as IAF wing commander, arrested

A 39-year-old man was arrested for allegedly entering the Palam Air Force Station in the Delhi Cantonment area posing as a wing commander of the IAF, police said on Friday.

A senior police officer said that the accused, identified as Vinayak Chadha, wanted to get his father treated at the dental hospital of the air force station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Rohit Meena said police were informed about the incident on Wednesday.

The accused was held by the air force staff while he was trying to enter the restricted area, the DCP said.

He said the man entered the air force dental hospital on Thimmaya Road by posing as a wing commander. He breached the first layer of security using a forged identity document but was caught later by air force security staff, Meena said.

Chadha was then handed over to the police, he said, adding that a forged identity card and a few other liquor cards in the names of several defence personnel were found on him. Liquor cards are given to defence personnel to acquire liquor at subsidised rates in cantonment areas.

A case under Indian Penal Code sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) and 474 (having possession of document knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine) was registered at Delhi Cantt police station, officials said.

During an investigation into the source of the forged documents, police have apprehended another person from Sultanpuri.

Further probe in the matter is underway, police said.