Impersonator held

MiD DAY had reported on December 14 that someone had travelled to Bihar by train, assuming the name of Shahnawaz Hussain

MiD DAY had reported on December 14 that someone had travelled to Bihar by train, assuming the name of Shahnawaz Hussain

He didn't know when to give up. According to the police, an impersonator, who had previously successfully travelled by rail in the name of senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain, was arrested on Thursday while repeating his act. This time the former union minister was prepared and had informed the police and railway department. The agencies laid a trap and the accused was arrested.

Train of thought: The culprit travelled by Vaishali Express using the name of the BJP MP.

A senior police official said that the culprit has been identified as Saifi Azam Ansari. "He returned to India around two days ago from Dubai. He said that someone called Munna Khan, a native of Sivan, arranged a ticket of Vaishali Express for him," he said.

The officer added that Munna Khan used a fake letterhead of the MP to get a railway ticket of Sivan in AC accommodation booked. Police said that they will interrogate Ansari to reach Munna Khan.u00a0u00a0u00a0 The accused who travelled to Sivan had used the same train to reach the same destination earlier.

The BJP MP got a call from the railway ministry that someone has applied for an e-ticket using his letterhead. Shahnawaz asked the department to get his e-ticket booked to take the conman into confidence. He then asked the police to arrest the person only after he boarded the train. Police said they detained the culprit on Vaishali Express.u00a0

"Someone was misusing my official letterhead to travel free by the Indian railways. It was an attempt that led to loss of public money in the name of an MP. I give full credit to MiD DAY for highlighting the matter. The accused has been caught after the cheating was reported in the newspaper," said Shahnawaz.

The Other Side

' An MP can travel across India in any train and at any time in 1st AC. n If he travels alone he can travel countless times in 1st AC. In case his attendant is travelling along with him, he (his attendant) will be provided a 3rd AC seat. ' His wife can get one free non-transferable railway pass to travel in first class, air-conditioned, or executive class in any train. ' The spouse is also entitled to travel first class air-conditioned or executive class in all trains with the MP from any place in India to another. ' An MP not having a spouse is entitled to have another person accompanying him in lieu of spouse in any train in first class AC or executive class from any place in India to another in addition to the facility available to him in respect of one companion in AC-II tier. ' The spouse of the MP is allowed road mileage for the journey or part thereof performed by road if unaccompanied by the MP. Where during any part of a year the usual place of residence is inaccessible by rail, steamer or road, due to climatic conditions and where air service is available, an MP is entitled to travel by air to and from his usual place of residence up to the nearest airport outside his constituency having rail service.