Local authorities in Surat city, Gujarat, apprehended an individual on Tuesday for allegedly posing as a scientist affiliated with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and falsely claiming to have designed the lander module for the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.
The arrest came in response to a complaint filed against the accused, identified as Mitul Trivedi, after he was observed giving media interviews following the successful soft-landing of the Vikram lander on August 23. Trivedi purportedly declared himself as the designer of the lander module for Chandrayaan-3 during these interviews.
According to official sources, Trivedi presented himself as the “assistant chairman” of ISRO’s “Ancient Science Application department.” To further substantiate his claims, he even produced a counterfeit appointment letter dated February 26, 2022.
However, subsequent investigations carried out by law enforcement revealed that Trivedi had no legitimate connection to ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission. The police issued a statement asserting that he had engaged in fabricating false affiliations with ISRO and had made unfounded claims of being an employee of the esteemed organization.
Trivedi’s deceptive efforts extended to producing a fraudulent letter, asserting his position as a “space research member” for an alleged forthcoming ISRO initiative termed “mercury force in space.” These deceptive actions resulted in the dissemination of inaccurate information concerning ISRO, ultimately harming the institution’s reputation.
The Surat city crime branch subsequently registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Mitul Trivedi. He faces charges under sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), and 471 (using forged document as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code.
The Chenab Times News Desk