The CID arrested a 47-year-old man in Thakurpukur late on Monday for allegedly posing as an IAS officer. Sleuths said Arup Nandi, who was rounded up from his flat on Diamond Harbour Road, had cheated a number of people by taking money from them after making false promises.

“He had collected several crores of rupees by promising people government flats, licences and government jobs,” a CID officer said.

“He used an identity card that had his passport-sized photograph. The card claimed he was ‘joint secretary, Home and Home Political’ wing of the state government and that he was posted at Nabanna.”

It was mentioned on the card that it was issued on January 8, 2014, and Nandi’s blood group was O-positive.

He allegedly had another identity card, in the name of Raja Nandi. CID officers said at several places Nandi had introduced himself as Santo Mitra.

“On September 23, a complaint of cheating and criminal intimidation was lodged with Durgapur police station. The amount involved was around Rs 60 lakh. While probing the case, we stumbled upon this man,” said a senior CID officer.

“It appears this man had cheated several persons in Durgapur and adjoining areas posing as an IAS officer.”

The police have learnt that Nandi used to move around in a car fitted with a blue beacon. If any cop ever stopped him on the way, he would allegedly flash his identity card.

To most of his victims, the police said, Nandi would claim that he was very close to several influential personalities in the state. The police said he had been cheating people since 2013.