Fake IAS officer’s arrest in Lucknow exposes years of deception and systemic lapses

Saurabh Tripathi lived a high-profile life with luxury cars, fake IDs, and VIP access before Lucknow police unmasked the fraud.

The arrest of 36-year-old Saurabh Tripathi, who posed as an IAS officer for years has shocked authorities and revealed how one man managed to misuse loopholes in the system to gain access to high security areas, trick businessmen, and project himself as a powerful bureaucrat.

Police officials said Tripathi carried himself with such confidence that it helped him deceive people easily. “Using his confidence, he would gain entry at any event as he would walk with private gunners (bodyguards) to intimidate security personnel at such meetings and events with bureaucrats and ministers,” explained Wazirganj station house officer, Rajesh Kumar Tripathi. The accused has now been sent to jail.

What has puzzled many is how he repeatedly gained entry into restricted government meetings, bypassed official protocols, and was even invited as a chief guest at various functions.

Tripathi’s cover was blown during a routine vehicle check by Lucknow police on Wednesday. Officers discovered six luxury cars, including a Range Rover and a Mercedes-Benz C 220, along with forged identity cards and passes. He was also living in expensive residences and maintained an online presence, styling himself as a cabinet special secretary.

According to DCP Crime Kamlesh Dixit, even Tripathi’s close aide, who regularly accompanied him, was unaware of his identity. “He kept his true background hidden even from his assistant,’ the DCP said.

Investigators are now tracking the places he visited to cheat people and collect money. So far, evidence suggests that Tripathi operated not only in Uttar Pradesh but also in Bihar, Uttarakhand, and Delhi. Police are piecing together the extent of his fraud and the network of people he may have missed.

“Carefully posed photographs with ministers, senior bureaucrats, and even religious leaders were splashed on his social media, supporting his claim of being a powerful officer. For many, those images erased all doubt,” said the SHO.