Surat: On Wednesday, the Surat Crime Branch apprehended a tuition teacher, Mitul Trivedi, following media interviews where he falsely claimed to be the ISRO scientist responsible for designing the Vikram lander of Chandrayaan 3. Trivedi’s attempt to bolster his claim involved the fabrication of documents and a fraudulent letter.
The motive behind Trivedi’s deception was revealed during the police inquiry. Trivedi, who tutors high school students and higher grade levels, admitted to creating the sham letter, believing it would attract more students to enroll in his classes if their parents were convinced of his purported accomplishments.
To lend credibility to his facade, Trivedi concocted an ISRO appointment letter dated February 26, 2022, asserting his position as the assistant chairman of the fictional “ISRO’s Ancient Science Application Department.” Another counterfeit letter claimed Trivedi’s association as a “space research member” with an imagined ISRO project named “mercury force in space.”
Surat’s Additional Commissioner of Police, Sharad Singhal, mentioned that a plea was presented to the Police Commissioner, prompting an inquiry into Trivedi’s assertions. ISRO promptly informed the crime branch that the letters were fabrications, confirming that the space agency never issued such communications. A comprehensive report from ISRO is anticipated in the coming days, Singhal added.
This episode unfolds against the backdrop of ISRO’s noteworthy achievements, including the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s south pole. Furthermore, ISRO is gearing up for its inaugural Sun mission, Aditya-L1, scheduled for this week.
Previously, on August 24, just a day post Chandrayaan-3’s moon landing, Trivedi, masquerading as an ISRO scientist, conveyed to a news agency, “It felt as if we were right there on the moon, marking our proudest moment.” This event underscores the lengths individuals might go to for recognition and personal gain, leveraging the accomplishments of esteemed organizations.