Delhi police on November 19, 2019, arrested a 48-year-old man for impersonating a pilot of German airlines Lufthansa to avoid long queues and security checking.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Sanjay Bhatia said that the accused, Rajan Mahbubani, is a resident of Vasant Kunj. He initially worked for private companies at different levels, but later floated his own training and consultancy company. He would offer training and consultation to corporates, Bhatia said.
According to police, the accused had procured a fake identity card to pose as a captain from Bangkok. He also uploaded videos of him from inside the plane cockpit on TikTok, said police.
On Monday, he was arrested from International Airport when he was about to board an AirAsia flight to Kolkata. The Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Lufthansa Airlines had raised suspicion about him posing as their pilot. He was arrested from the departure gate of the airport, said Bhatia.
DCP Bhatia further said that Mahbubani revealed that he used to shoot YouTube videos on aviation and had obtained the Lufthansa fake ID card in Bangkok. He claimed he was fond of wearing uniforms and being photographed in them. In his phone, there are pictures of him posing as Army colonel. He had shot videos of himself wearing different uniforms on TiKTok as well.
During interrogation, Mahbubani confessed to the fraud as a means to gain easy access during security clearance and seek preferential treatment from the airlines, said police.
He would get into the passage used by the airline crew members for getting into the aircraft. He would pose as a pilot to seek preferential treatment. Sometimes, he managed to get his seat upgraded. He travelled to different places on multiple occasions using the same modus operandi, Bhatia added.
Police have recovered the fake ID card from his possession.
(With inputs from agencies)
