Bengaluru's Banashankari police arrest housekeeping staff posing as central tax officials, extorting Rs 5 lakh

Banashankari police arrested two housekeeping staff for impersonating central government officials and extorting a businessman of Rs 5 lakh, officials said.

The arrested are Nagaraju P, 37, and Dadapeer Ballari, 35. Both worked as outsourced housekeeping staff at the Office of the Principal Commissioner of Central Tax in Bengaluru.

Based on specific inputs, at 11.30 am on February 17, vigilance officers searched the rooms where the duo stayed. They found Rs 1 lakh with Ballari and Rs 1.50 lakh with Nagaraju. 

Further searches revealed three fake ID cards bearing the names Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Office of the Principal Commissioner of Central Tax (GST), Bengaluru West Commissionerate. The cards showed the designations “intelligence officer” and “sepoy”. Officials also found copies of six fake search warrants.

Under questioning, the duo confessed that on January 10, they posed as officials from the “GST office” and extorted a gutka businessman in Peenya of Rs 5 lakh.

Police then placed the suspects under arrest. After questioning them for six days under police custody, they were produced before a Bengaluru court and remanded to judicial custody. Further probe is underway.