Keonjhar: Police on Thursday arrested a 22-year-old college dropout who posed as a motor vehicle inspector to fleece motorists and truck operators.

The accused, Imran Khan, was nabbed while he was levying penalty on motorcyclists near the crowded Tehsil Chowk at Barbil Township.

"Some penalised motorcyclists had suspected that he was an impostor. After they informed the local police station, the cops went to the spot and arrested him," said investigating officer Swarnaprava Pradhan.

The accused wore an motor vehicle inspector uniform that also bore a batch indicating the designation. The slim-built youth was mistaken by most people as a genuine inspector, the official said.

A fake receipt book with the printed insignia of Keonjhar District Road Transport Office was seized from his possession. Rs 4,300 cash that he had illegally collected from motorcyclists for not wearing helmets was also seized from him.

Khan had been carrying out this exercise for the past six or seven months.

"He preferred to operate on the highways as deceiving the semi-educated truck drivers was easier. He usually collected penalty sums from two to three truck drivers every day," Pradhan said.