Mumbai Police have arrested a 28-year-old man and his bodyguard following a security scare at Jio World Plaza in the Bandra Kurla Complex, where the man allegedly presented a suspicious identity card claiming to have been issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The incident took place on Monday evening, shortly before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled event at the nearby Jio World Convention Centre.

Police, however, clarified that the case was unrelated to the Prime Minister's visit or his scheduled inauguration of the Global Fintech Fest 2026.

Security Flags Suspicious ID Card

According to the investigation, Rohan Parekh, who is said to run a drone technology business, entered Jio World Plaza while security preparations were underway in the area.

His bodyguard, Dilip Kunde, arrived separately but was stopped at the entrance after a metal detector indicated that he was carrying a firearm.

Kunde subsequently contacted Parekh, who returned to the security checkpoint and allegedly produced an identity card purportedly issued by the Prime Minister's Office. The card described him as a "Grade C official".

Security personnel reportedly became suspicious after examining the document. While the card carried a date of issue, it did not mention a validity period. Questions were also raised over the signature of the purported issuing authority, as no designation was mentioned.

Both Parekh and Kunde were subsequently taken into custody. Police later confirmed that the firearm carried by Kunde was licensed.

Parekh was produced before a court, which remanded him to police custody until September 11. Investigators are also searching for a third person, identified as Prathamesh Bagul, who is believed to be connected to the case.

Lawyer Claims Parekh May Have Been Cheated

During the court proceedings, Parekh's lawyer argued that his client may himself have been deceived into believing that he had been appointed as an adviser to the PMO.

The defence claimed Parekh had received documents appearing to be appointment-related communications, along with official-looking emails and a screenshot of the purported identity card. However, he was allegedly never provided with a physical copy of the card.

According to his lawyer, Parekh had also been advised to employ a bodyguard.

The defence maintained that Parekh had gone to Jio World Plaza to purchase perfume for his fiance and had cooperated with the police after being contacted by investigators.

The lawyer also told the court that Parekh had handed over relevant documents and electronic communications to authorities for verification.

Crime Branch Examining Evidence

An FIR has been registered at the BKC Police Station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections related to impersonating a public servant.

The Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over aspects of the investigation and is examining CCTV footage, electronic communications and documents linked to the alleged PMO credentials.

Investigators are now working to establish where the purported identity card and appointment documents originated. A key part of the probe will be determining whether Parekh knowingly used forged credentials or was himself the victim of a larger deception.