Gaurav Kumar, accused of impersonating Rahul Gandhi’s former Personal Assistant (PA) Kanishk Singh to cheat Congress leaders across multiple states, was arrested by Uttarakhand Police on 4 May. Investigators say the accused operated an organised fraud network for nearly nine years, allegedly extorting crores of rupees from politicians by promising election tickets, political appointments, and access to the Congress high command. Police investigations have revealed that cases of fraud and deception against Gaurav Kumar are registered in at least six states, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. During interrogation, several prominent political figures reportedly admitted they had been targeted or deceived by the accused. Gang built around fake political access According to investigators, Gaurav Kumar, a resident of Amritsar in Punjab, began his operations by gathering information about senior Congress leaders and their private secretaries. He allegedly studied the party’s internal structure and identified leaders with influence or access to the high command. Police say he then started impersonating Kanishk Singh, who served as a private secretary to the Congress leadership between 2003 and 2015. Using this identity, he formed a gang that targeted aspiring politicians and party leaders. The gang allegedly prepared detailed profiles of Congress leaders and identified those seeking election tickets or political positions. Initially, smaller leaders were targeted with promises of party tickets and organisational appointments. Over time, the network expanded into a large-scale interstate fraud operation. Rajasthan fraud worth crores The gang’s biggest breakthrough reportedly came ahead of the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly elections. Investigators say that in 2017, Gaurav Kumar extracted lists of influential Congress leaders from the internet and analysed their political standing within the party. According to police records, he allegedly collected Rs 1.90 crore from a Jaipur-based leader after promising to secure an MLA ticket. In another case, the same year, he reportedly took Rs 12 lakh from another leader on similar assurances. Police say Gaurav rarely appeared in person during negotiations. Instead, he used associates and fake phone calls to demand money in the name of Rahul Gandhi. Multiple bank accounts in different states were allegedly used to receive funds. Once party tickets were announced, the gang would disappear. Bihar network exposed during 2020 elections Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the accused allegedly expanded his operations into the state by identifying Congress leaders who had direct or indirect access to Rahul Gandhi. Investigators claim he specifically targeted leaders who were media-shy or politically vulnerable. Posing as Rahul Gandhi’s PA, he allegedly struck financial deals worth lakhs of rupees with several politicians. However, the fraud began to unravel when Bihar Congress in-charge Virendra Rathore was alerted about suspicious calls. Verification with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in Delhi revealed that the calls were not originating from Rahul Gandhi’s office but from fake numbers linked to Punjab. Following complaints in Bihar and Rajasthan, Gaurav Kumar applied for anticipatory bail, but the court rejected his plea. Attempts to penetrate Delhi and Gujarat Congress units In 2022, the accused allegedly turned his focus towards Delhi and the AICC headquarters. According to investigators, he again used the identity of “Kanishk Singh” to contact Congress leaders and offer them access to the party leadership. Several leaders were allegedly assured political appointments and direct communication with the high command. However, some party members had become aware of previous fraud complaints, limiting the scale of the operation. Even so, another FIR was lodged against him. Later the same year, he allegedly shifted operations to Gujarat ahead of the Assembly elections. Police say he targeted ticket aspirants and attempted to establish contact with former Gujarat MP Satyajit Gaekwad. Gaekwad reportedly grew suspicious during conversations and avoided falling into the trap. A complaint was subsequently registered against the accused in Vadodara, indicating that the gang had begun targeting high-profile political figures as well. Bihar and Delhi complaints intensified in 2025 As Bihar elections approached again in 2025, Gaurav Kumar allegedly became active once more. In April 2025, another FIR was registered, accusing him of demanding money in exchange for party positions and political access. Before police action could begin, the accused reportedly absconded, although one of his associates was arrested. During the same period, he was also accused of cheating a female Congress leader in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district of nearly two kilograms of gold. The matter eventually reached the Delhi High Court in May 2025. By then, the real Kanishk Singh had also approached the court, troubled by the repeated misuse of his identity. In September 2025, another complaint was filed alleging that Gaurav Kumar was still demanding money from leaders in the name of securing Congress tickets. Around the same time, Bihar MP Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, also lodged a complaint at Delhi’s Tilak Marg police station. Investigating agencies later suspected that the accused relied heavily on social engineering and digital tools to identify potential targets. Mohali complaint and final arrest in Uttarakhand In March 2026, former Mohali Deputy Mayor Kuljeet Singh Bedi also filed a complaint against the accused. Soon after, Gaurav Kumar allegedly attempted a similar fraud in Uttarakhand. Police say he contacted Congress activist Bhavna Pandey, claiming the party wanted to conduct a survey before ticket distribution and required hotel arrangements for the survey team. Believing the claim, Pandey allegedly transferred around Rs 25 lakh through different channels. However, she became suspicious after further demands for money and claims regarding changes in the state leadership. She then approached the Rajpur police station. Acting on the complaint, Dehradun Police laid a trap near Pacific Mall and arrested Gaurav Kumar while he allegedly arrived to collect money. During questioning, he reportedly confessed to earlier frauds in Rajasthan and Bihar. Google searches and fake truecaller IDs were used Police investigations revealed that the accused collected information about political leaders through Google searches, websites such as neta.com, and social media profiles. He allegedly contacted targets using fake Truecaller identities and multiple mobile numbers. Police are now searching for his alleged associates, Chhajju, Rajat, and Maninder, who are believed to have helped operate the interstate fraud network.
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