Fake PMO ID at Mumbai mall: Accused Rohan Parekh says he wanted to impress family

A 24-year-old man, identified as Rohan Parekh, arrested for allegedly using a fake Prime Minister's Office identity card at Mumbai's luxury shopping mall, Jio World Plaza, told police that he did it to impress his family and make them believe he was working for a "worthy cause", an official said on Thursday.

Rohan Parekh was arrested earlier this week after he was found with the fake PMO card. Police said the case came to light after the man accompanying him, Dilip Kunde, 49, was found carrying a firearm and an argument broke out between the two men and security staff at Jio World Plaza.

During the argument, Parekh allegedly claimed he was a PMO official. The incident took place on September 7, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's event at the adjacent Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. Investigators suspect Parekh used Artificial Intelligence tools to forge the digital PMO identity card and are verifying the technical details.

"During questioning, Parikh claimed he wanted to convince his family he was associated with a worthy cause and working for the PMO. However, we are not convinced by this explanation and are actively examining other potential motives," the official said. Police are also probing Parekh's claim that he had received an email in 2024 confirming his selection for a role at the PMO, the official added.