Man tries to enter Madras High Court claiming to be a protocol officer, held

Chennai: The city police on Tuesday arrested an imposter, who barged into the high court premises claiming to be a protocol officer from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The man, identified as Prasad, 38, drove into the high court premises without being questioned and was only caught because he hit an advocate, Murali Krishna Rao who was taking out his two-wheeler.

A fight broke out between the advocate, his colleagues who had rushed to help him up and Prasad when questioned ABOUT his purpose of entering the restricted compound. Prasad then showed them an E & SI Protocol Identity card. “The lawyers did not believe him as the picture in the ID looked nothing like him,” one of the lawyers said.

The ID card named him as “Dr” Prasad, which raised further eyebrows. “The doctor is an academic PhD,” Prasad had explained.

Further, the lawyers also retrieved several fake ID cards from him apart from the one that said Protocol Officer. Prasad was also in possession a CBI ID card with a photo of Prasad in a police uniform, one that said ‘Government of Tamilnadu, Department of Police’ and the third - Assistant commissioner Airport authority of India.

The also saw that there were three stickers- an Interpol sticker, CBI sticker and VIP pass on his car. The Esplanade police station was immediately alerted who detained Prasad and his driver M. Mohan Velu.

On further inquiry, Prasad claimed that he had never used any of the ID cards illegally and only had them for security reasons. The police, however, are inquiring the need for the fake ID cards and if they were misused previously.