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LUCKNOW: The impostor posing as an IPS officer from Maharashtra cadre on deputation to Uttar Pradesh to join as aide-de-camp (ADC) to governor, who was arrested on Friday, had actually befooled a few police officials before also.

The smooth-talker, Lakshendra Sharma, 30, had actually begun his journey of trapping police officials in his web of lies about an year ago from Ghaziabad.

Sharma, according to sources, made contact with two Dy SPs posted in Ghaziabad at that time and befriended them. Not only the two Dy SPs, some other officials were also trapped into the aura created by Sharma posing as an IPS officer.

Sharma landed in troubled waters when senior police officers got suspicious about his antecedents and checked up with the director general of police (DGP) headquarters here, about the new deputation posting only to uncover the fact that he was an impostor.

According to the police spokesperson, Sharma arrived in the city a few days back and reached the Naka police station. He introduced himself as an IPS officer of Maharashtra cadre, 2007 batch. He told the senior officials at the police station that he was on deputation to UP and has to join as ADC to the governor. He said that he has shifted to Lucknow with his wife, sister and her husband. They were, however, waiting for their baggage that was being transported by a truck. He also told the cops that his transfer-posting documentation was to be put in place so that he can subsequently, shift to his service accommodation.

Taking every word of the IPS as true, the cops at the police station were quick to arrange for three double-rooms for the IPS and his family at Asha Hotel in Naka area. The guests were quick to check-in, after thanking the cops who had come to assist them.

Actually the con man had come to stay in Lucknow on the recommendation of the two Dy SPs, who met him in Ghaziabad. Till that day, the two police officials were vouching for his credentials, probably unaware that he was an impostor. Actually he had sweet-talked other police officials also, including an ASP rank police official posted in Moradabad. Sources said that the Indica car in which he travelled to Lucknow was booked by a travelling agency in Moradabad on the request of the ASP. However, whether the car was fitted with the blue beacon from the travelling agency itself was not clear, said the sources.

Since there were so many recommendations from the police officials, SP (west) Dr B P Ashok and circle officer Balram Saroj too fell in Sharma's trap. So much so that Sharma was actually their guest on the occasion of Janmashtami organised at Naka Hindola police station.