Prasenjit Vinod Kamble had sent nearly 270 emails to top scientists through an account in the name of the president, pretending he was recommending him as a brilliant scientist, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency quoted official sources as saying.

Kamble, an engineering dropout from the western city of Bombay, created the account last August.

The emails, which also solicited financial help, read: "Dr. Prasenjit Vinod Kamble is a brilliant scientist and a key member of the scientific team that conducted the Pokharan-II (nuclear) test."

Kalam, known as the "missile man" for his close association with India's nuclear and space programme, had guided a series of nuclear tests in May 1998 in Pokharan in the western state of Rajasthan.

Security agencies launched a manhunt for Kamble after a tip-off from a senior official of Indian Atomic Energy Commission received one of the emails.

To convince his victims Kamble also sent them copies of Kalam's book "Ignited Minds" with a forged signature, PTI said.

He managed to extract a large sum of money for his efforts, it said.

SPACE.WIRE