A man who was allegedly masquerading as a government official and used his “stature” to demand free food from at least one dhaba along EM Bypass, was arrested on Wednesday night.

Golam Rabbani, 40, was arrested on charges related to impersonating a government official, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Officers of Pragati Maidan police station found a car parked outside the Bypass Dhaba well past 9pm on Wednesday. The car had two boards attached to it.

“One read ‘National Crime Control Bureau deputy director’, while the other said ‘member, Supervisory Committee of Waqf Board’. On enquiring with the organisations, we found both were false,” said an officer of Pragati Maidan police station.

The National Crime Control Bureau is an NGO, the police said.

A senior officer said the eatery authorities complained that the owner of the car was in the habit of demanding free food citing his “official” position.

“Rabbani would allegedly threaten the eatery with dire consequences if they did not supply food to him even after it was closed to the public, post-8pm.”

The city police have arrested several impostors in the past few weeks who had mostly been posing as police officers to cheat others.