Pune, June 9 (IANS) A 25-year-old Pune woman has been arrested for allegedly impersonating a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) after she visited a skin clinic wearing a police uniform in an apparent attempt to secure an early appointment with a doctor, officials said on Tuesday.

A case has been registered against her under Sections 204 and 205 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

According to police, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Mahesh Shinde, attached to Lashkar Police Station, had visited Dr Ashfaq Sayed’s Sanjeevan Skin Clinic, located opposite Victory Theatre in Pune’s Camp area, for personal medical treatment at around 10 a.m. on June 6.

While waiting at the clinic, he noticed a young woman dressed in khaki trousers and a police-style jacket.

A short while later, the woman removed her jacket and approached the reception counter to register for treatment. At that point, Shinde’s attention was drawn to several irregularities in her attire. He observed discrepancies in the insignia, nameplate and other symbols displayed on the uniform.

Police said the lanyard, nameplate, and the blue ribbon issued to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence had been affixed incorrectly. The woman was also carrying a police cap and a khaki-coloured baton, which further raised suspicion.

Suspecting that something was amiss, ASI Shinde questioned the woman about her posting. She claimed that she was attached to Baner Police Station and had come to the clinic after completing a night shift.

However, her responses and overall demeanour reportedly appeared inconsistent, prompting Shinde to alert officials at Lashkar Police Station.

Acting on the information, female police personnel Pooja Pund and Asra Bansode reached the clinic and escorted the woman to Lashkar Police Station for further questioning.

During the inquiry, the woman was identified as Samina Asif Inamdar, also known as Samina Ayu Pathan, a resident of Mhalunge in Pune. Police said that during questioning, Samina admitted that she had long aspired to become a police officer but had failed to qualify for recruitment into the force.

According to investigators, she subsequently got a police-style uniform stitched and even posed for photographs while wearing it. She allegedly confessed that she had visited the clinic dressed in the uniform in the hope of receiving priority treatment and securing an early appointment with the doctor.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Sandeep Bhajibhakare said that the woman works for a private organisation.

He added that police became suspicious after observing her conduct at the clinic and later confirmed that she was not a serving police officer despite moving around in public while wearing a Police Sub-Inspector’s uniform.

Bhajibhakare further stated that preliminary investigations revealed that Samina had another police-style uniform stitched as well.

Police are now examining her background and trying to determine whether she used the uniform solely to gain preferential treatment or whether there were other motives behind her actions.

Investigators are also attempting to ascertain whether she had previously posed as a police officer at other locations or used the uniform to obtain any undue advantage.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.

–IANS

jk/sd/