Fake ISRO scientist apprehended for forging identity and credentials

New Delhi: In a startling turn of events, the Surat Crime Branch apprehended Mitul Trivedi, a tuition teacher, on charges of impersonating an ISRO scientist responsible for designing the Chandrayaan 3’s Vikram lander. Trivedi’s audacious move involved not only issuing fabricated media interviews but also crafting fraudulent documents and letters to bolster his false identity. The incident has shed light on the depths to which some individuals are willing to descend to gain an edge in their professional pursuits.

Trivedi, known for offering tutorial services to students ranging from 12th standard onwards, concocted a scheme that would resonate with unsuspecting parents and potential students alike. His motive? A surge in enrollments for his tuition classes. According to the Surat Police, Trivedi admitted that his intention behind concocting this elaborate ruse was to entice parents by showcasing his fictitious association with ISRO.

Elaborating on his strategy, Trivedi engineered an illusory appointment letter bearing the date February 26, 2022. In this forged correspondence, he positioned himself as the assistant chairman of ISRO’s fictitious “Ancient Science Application Department.” To further validate his claims, he crafted an additional fraudulent letter asserting his status as a “space research member” for ISRO’s purported venture, the “mercury force in space.”

Surat’s Additional Commissioner of Police, Sharad Singhal, underlined the gravity of the situation in a statement to the media. He informed that the Crime Branch initiated an investigation into the matter following a formal request submitted to the Commissioner of Police.

ISRO swiftly responded to the inquiry, dismissing Trivedi’s claims as baseless fabrications. The space agency confirmed that no such letters were ever issued by their organization. A comprehensive and detailed response from ISRO will be submitted to the Surat Police in the coming days, offering further clarity on the matter, Singhal confirmed.

The incident unfolded in the backdrop of ISRO’s ongoing lunar mission achievements, most recently the triumphant landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the moon’s southern pole. As the nation basks in ISRO’s achievements, Trivedi’s attempt to exploit the organization’s reputation for personal gain has cast a shadow on the broader celebration of scientific accomplishments.

Trivedi’s surreptitious masquerade came to the fore on August 24 when he granted an interview to a prominent news agency, PTI, in which he falsely claimed to be part of ISRO’s historic lunar mission. In an attempt to lend credibility to his sham, he remarked, “We felt as if we were on the moon; it was the proudest moment.”

Subsequent investigations conducted by the Crime Branch have confirmed that the letter and Trivedi’s assertions were indeed fabricated. The police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Trivedi under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using a forged document as genuine), and 419 (cheating by impersonation).

#WATCH | Gujarat | On 29th August, the Surat Crime Branch of Police nabbed a man, identified as Mitul Trivedi, who made false claims of being a scientist at the ISRO and also made forged documents for the same. Police say that he has confessed to the crime. pic.twitter.com/zf5IkvVej8

— ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2023

While Trivedi claims academic credentials in the form of B.Com and M.Com degrees, the police are in the process of verifying his educational background. As the legal proceedings unfold, this incident serves as a reminder of the necessity to uphold the integrity of scientific institutions and to thwart fraudulent attempts to exploit their credibility for personal gains.