KOCHI: A youth who impersonated as an IPS officer and committed marriage fraud in Kerala and Karnataka has been arrested. The Kalamassery police arrested Karthik Venugopal (Vipin Karthik, 31) from Skyview House, Chelembra, Kakancheri. He was a wanted man and was arrested by the Kalamassery police. The accused was caught in a mall in Edappally. There are 21 cases against him.

He used to befriend young women by pretending to be an IPS officer. After promising them marriage and making financial gains, he will escape. The last victim of the fraud was a Malayali woman in Bengaluru. Karthik took money and vehicles from the woman by promising marriage. Then he withdrew from the marriage, saying that he had cancer. The Kadugodi police in Bengaluru registered a case on the complaint of the woman and her family. Meanwhile, the accused had crossed over to Kochi. The Bengaluru police then sought help from Kerala.

He is also accused in cases of forging documents and obtaining loans. There are five cases in Guruvayur police station, two in Nadapuram, and three in Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment station. There is one case each in Puthunagaram, Chittoor, Vadakara, Thalassery, Ernakulam Central, Kilikollur, Thrikkakara, and Palarivattom stations. Cases have also been registered in Jeevan Bima Nagar and Wilson Garden stations in Karnataka.