PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
A conman posing as the personal assistant of leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi was arrested by the police on Monday. The accused was identified as Gaurav Kumar. Dehradun superintendent of police (City) Pramod Kumar said the accused admitted taking money and police have identified three more aides linked to the case who will be arrested soon.
Meanwhile, entrepreneur Bhawana Pandey, who was targeted by the conman, told the media on Tuesday that the accused first called her when she was having a dispute with Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal on Facebook. He told her, “What issue do you have with Godiyal? I am Kanish, speaking as Rahul’s personal assistant”.
She said he then purportedly connected Godiyal on another line and spoke to him, saying that he would settle the matter. After that, he also purportedly connected Harak Singh Rawat and later Harish Rawat on call. Because of this, she believed that he was really Rahul’s PA.
She further said that later he sent messages claiming there was a lot of internal trouble in the Congress party and that the matter had reached Rahul. He allegedly told her that some MLAs were coming and surveys were being conducted to stop ticket selling, so she should meet legislators. She alleged that he even arranged conversations with some MLAs.
Pandey said after three days he again called and claimed that discussions were going on to remove Godiyal and asked her to arrange money. She then became suspicious because the money she had given him earlier had not been returned and he was demanding more money. Later, she said the accused sent a message claiming that Godiyal wanted to make independent MLA Umesh Kumar join the party. She said this made her angry. She then messaged Rajesh Chamoli and asked whether Godiyal had really sent that message. When he denied it, she filed a complaint.
Pandey also said that reports claiming she wanted to become Mahila Congress State president were false. She claimed that Godiyal had earlier offered her the post, but she had refused.
