Mumbai mall entry case: Man used ChatGPT to create fake PMO documents, police tell court | Mumbai News
MUMBAI: A 24-year-old Rohan Parikh, who was arrested for allegedly entering Jio World Plaza in BKC with a private security guard carrying a firearm while posing as a Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) official, had allegedly been creating fake PMO documents using ChatGPT since 2025 to boost his self-esteem and impress people around him, police told the court.TOI reported in its Thursday edition that Parikh, who was arrested ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to Jio World Plaza, may have forged a PMO identity card using AI.The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) did not seek further custody of Parikh and told the court that it needed to establish whether he had used the fake PMO identity card and documents for any other purposes. Police also sought time to examine his electronic devices and investigate the firearm allegedly used by Kunde.The 37th Metropolitan Magistrate, D S Khedekar, remanded Parikh and his private bodyguard, Dilip Kunde, to judicial custody. Defence counsel requested the police to file their reply so that they could move their bail applications. The court asked the police to file their reply by September 17.Advocate Satish Maneshinde said bail applications for both accused had been filed. The matter was adjourned to September 17, 2026, for the police’s reply and hearing.Police said a laptop, hard drive and PMO-related documents were recovered from Parikh’s residence in Khar. His mobile phone allegedly contained searches related to preparing PMO correspondence. Parikh also allegedly displayed the fake PMO identity card to security guards at the mall.A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to Jio World Plaza in Mumbai’s BKC, police arrested Parikh and his private security guard, an ex-Army personnel, for allegedly trying to enter the premises while claiming to be associated with the PMO. A third person, Prathmesh Bagul, who was accompanying them, managed to flee and remains wanted.Police said that during a search of Parikh’s residence on September 8, a laptop and hard drive were seized. Documents purportedly belonging to the PMO were also recovered from the house. During interrogation, Parikh initially gave vague replies but later allegedly admitted to preparing the documents himself using ChatGPT.Police said Parikh had also displayed a purported PMO identity card on his mobile phone to security personnel at Jio World Plaza on September 7. Examination of Google Takeout data extracted from his Redmi 5G mobile phone allegedly showed searches related to preparing PMO correspondence.Police further said Kunde had disclosed that he obtained a firearm for personal use but was allegedly using it commercially while providing security to Parikh as a bodyguard.The accused were initially remanded in police custody until September 11. However, the CIU did not seek further custody and sought time to examine the electronic devices and investigate the firearm allegedly used by Kunde.
