Ahmedabad man poses as cop on matrimonial sites, dupes 21 women; detained

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested a man accused of posing as a police officer and allegedly cheating at least 21 women across four states. The accused, identified as Himanshu alias Rocky Panchal, used fake identities, AI-generated documents and fabricated stories on dating and matrimonial platforms. He is originally from Ahmedabad and was reportedly residing in Udaipur at the time of his arrest.

According to Crime Branch officials, Panchal allegedly created fake profiles on popular matrimonial and dating platforms such as Shaadi.com, Jeevansathi, Bumble and Hinge. Using artificial intelligence tools and editing applications, he posed as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) associated with the cybercrime wing of Gujarat Police.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Bharat Patel said the accused used AI-generated photographs showing himself in police uniform to gain the trust of women. He also allegedly created fake government identity cards, appointment letters and suspension notices using digital stamp and design tools.

Police said Panchal targeted women through social media and matrimonial platforms before emotionally manipulating them into relationships. He allegedly extorted money by claiming he was facing legal troubles, suspension from duty or financial emergencies.

Investigators revealed that the accused used fake letters purportedly issued by government departments, including fabricated Income Tax raid notices and claims that his bank accounts had been frozen. Believing the stories, several women reportedly transferred large sums of money to him.

The scam came to light after women from Naroda and Navrangpura areas of Ahmedabad became suspicious and approached the police.

Officials said Panchal allegedly cheated women not only in Gujarat but also in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Police said a rape case had earlier been registered against him at Nalasopara police station near Mumbai after he allegedly lured a woman from Virar to a hotel using similar tactics. He was later released on bail.

After securing bail, Panchal allegedly continued targeting women. In one case, he reportedly took Rs 50,000 from a woman from Ahmedabad’s Nava Vadaj area on the pretext of arranging bail expenses. Another woman from Naroda allegedly lost Rs 1.8 lakh, while a victim from Navrangpura was reportedly cheated of nearly Rs 80,000.

Police said further investigation is underway to identify additional victims and trace the full extent of the fraud network.

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