Md Farooq Sheikh from Gujarat poses as an army major to smuggle liquor from Maharashtra

A fake army officer identified as Raheel Shafi, also known as Mohammad Farooq Shaikh, has been apprehended in Nandurbar, Maharashtra. He lived in Vadodara and visited Maharashtra frequently. He shifted from Vadodara to Nandurbar, Maharashtra, where he wore the Army Major rank uniform. However, he stood exposed after he saluted a traffic constable in Nandurbar. He lived in Gorwa, Vadodara, and used to smuggle liquor from Maharashtra to Gujarat. Nandurbar police have arrested him.

The incident unfolded during a traffic congestion in Nandurbar, Maharashtra, when the traffic police were conducting vehicle checks. Mohammad Farooq Sheikh of Gorwano of Vadodara emerged from his car, dressed in the uniform of an army major, and began ordering the police to clear the traffic. However, a vigilant constable approached him and received a salute from the ‘major’. This simple act of duty led to the exposure of the fake Major Mohammed. The police promptly apprehended him and initiated an inquiry.

Upon inspecting the fake major’s car, the Nandurbar police made a significant discovery. They found foreign liquor bottles worth Rs 1.5 lakhs, providing further evidence of his illegal activities. During the interrogation, the imposter continued to maintain his false identity as an army officer, even producing a fake identity card. He claimed to be employed in Vadodara, further adding to his web of lies.

OpIndia contacted the Nandurbar Police Station in this matter. The police said that the accused Mohammad Farooq Sheikh originally hails from Jalgaon in Maharashtra and lived in Gorwa in Vadodara. He used to load a cart full of liquor from Maharashtra and take it to Gujarat. He used to do this work in an army uniform. So he could easily cross the Gujarat-Maharashtra border. But he was suspected after he saluted the constable and was eventually arrested.

Along with this, OpIndia also contacted Gorwa Police Station. Police officer Siddharaj Singh said that the Nandurbar police searched the house of the accused in Gorwa, Vadodara. “Bottles of branded foreign liquor worth Rs 3.67 lakhs were found. The Gorwa police have registered a case against his Begum Shahida Sheikh. A pair of army uniforms was also recovered from the house of the accused, who turned out to be a fake major. The action is underway,” he added.

Gorwa police further said that many bottles of foreign-brand liquor were recovered. The accused is currently on a four-day remand of Nandurbar police station. After completion of remand, Gorwa Police will arrest the accused based on the transfer warrant and take action. The accused is also being interrogated as to how long he was smuggling liquor while wearing an army uniform.

Army officers will also interrogate the fake major

After the arrest of Mohammad Farooq Sheikh from Nandurbar, the police are now continuously questioning him. Various agencies and the Army will also question him in this matter and conduct further investigations. “The accused’s identification as an army officer, his whereabouts, and the number of criminal crimes he has committed will all be probed,” the police said.

According to media sources, Mohammad Farooq Shaikh married Shahida five years ago through an arranging matches website. Shahida revealed that before Nikah, the accused had told her that he had quit the army. However, even after Nikah, he remained at home as a retired jawan. As per his wife, Mohammad Farooq is a retired army officer. It should be mentioned that the accused’s father was an army subedar. He died in 2021. Muhammad was familiar with all the disciplines because his father served in the army.

Source: OpIndia