An alleged bootlegger identified as Tanzeem Abbas, on posing as Union minister, was provided an escort from local police when he went to attend a function here.

“We received the order to provide an escort to Abbas through a fax on Sunday,” Superintendent of Police Traffic (Meerut) P K Tiwari said on Tuesday. Tiwari said the escort was promptly withdrawn on Monday after his true identity came to light.
Local BJP leaders had pointed out that Abbas, a resident of Falawada, was not a minister that had the privilege of enjoying the police escort protocol.

They also informed senior state and central party leaders about the issue and BJP Minority Cell Convener Kuwar Basit Ali filed an FIR at the Falawada police station.

Abbas, however, maintained that he is the “chairman” of the Higher Education Board under the Human Resource Development Ministry, which he said had given him the rank and status of a Union minister and thereby the privilege of being escorted by police.
Abbas had been sent to jail on June 18 in a case involving the smuggling of liquor worth Rs 25 lakh, Falawada police station in-charge Abdul Wasim Khan said.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Laxmikant Bajpai demanded an enquiry against officials who provided the impostor an escort.