Fake income tax sleuth threatens RTO official with raid, extorts Rs 5 lakh

A fraudster who posed as an income tax official had cheated an assistant regional transport official of Rs 5 lakh, claiming to get him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) in a complaint.

B Annadanaiah, 59, a resident of Bharath Nagar on Magadi Main Road, has filed a complaint stating that a man introducing himself as Manjunath Naik, a joint commissioner in the income tax department, took Rs 5 lakh to get the NOC.

Annadanaiah, an ARTO at Hunasur, Mysuru district, received a phone call from an unknown number at 5 pm on February 17. The caller, who introduced himself as Manjunath Naik, said there was a complaint against him in the I-T department and his house must be raided.

Naik asked him Rs 15 lakh if he needs help in the case. Annadanaiah negotiated with him to reduce the amount to Rs 5 lakh. Naik asked Annadanaiah to meet him at a café in Garuda Mall.

When the duo met at 3 pm, Naik spoke about the complaint, took the money from Annadanaiah and left the place with the assurance that he would return with the NOC in some time. When he did not return, Annadanaiah dialled his number but found it switched off.

Realising that he had been threatened and extorted in the name of the I-T complaint, Annadanaiah filed a complaint at the jurisdictional Ashok Nagar police station. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Chetan Singh Rathore said: "Naik isn't an I-T officer. He's a conman. We are making efforts to nab him."

An investigating officer said police had taken up a case of extortion, impersonation and cheating against Naik. Naik played mind games with Annadanaiah and robbed him. Naik is suspected to have cheated many as his name has been marked in Truecaller as fraudster and spam.

Annadanaiah did not respond to calls for comments.