Bengaluru GST Office Housekeeping Staff Impersonate Officers in Brazen Extortion Scheme
In a shocking case of insider deception, two housekeeping staff members at a Bengaluru GST office have been accused of impersonating GST officers, conducting a sham raid, and extorting Rs 5 lakh from a local tobacco trader. The elaborate fraud came to light when vigilance officials observed a sudden and conspicuous improvement in the suspects' lifestyles, prompting a thorough investigation.
Inside Job Uncovered by Vigilance Officials
The accused, identified as Nagaraj P, 37, and Dadafir Ballari, 35, were outsourced housekeeping staff working at the office of the Principal Commissioner of Central Tax and GST Commissionerate (Bengaluru West). Their office is located within the BMTC bus stand building in Banashankari. Leveraging their insider position, the duo had become intimately familiar with the dress codes, daily routines, and raid procedures of genuine GST officers, which they allegedly used to execute a meticulously planned impersonation.
Suspicions regarding their behavior led to a surprise inspection by vigilance officials on Tuesday. During a search of their room on the office premises, authorities discovered cash bundles totaling Rs 2.5 lakh—Rs 1 lakh with Dadafir and Rs 1.5 lakh with Nagaraj. Additionally, they recovered several forged identity cards and fake search warrants, which were instrumental in their fraudulent activities.
Forged Documents and Fake Raid Details
Among the seized items were three bogus ID cards featuring Nagaraj's photograph but with different fraudulent designations. These included a card identifying him as a CLTS staff member, another as an intelligence officer named Gaurav Kumar, and even one as a sepoy—all falsely indicated as issued by the Ministry of Finance's GST office. Officials also confiscated six fabricated search warrant orders that were purportedly issued by government authorities.
Investigators quickly uncovered the duo's alleged modus operandi. On January 1, posing as GST intelligence officials, they reportedly conducted a fake raid on a tobacco trader's office in Peenya. By threatening to seize goods and file legal cases, they coerced the trader into paying Rs 5 lakh. The Rs 2.5 lakh recovered from the accused is believed to be a portion of this extorted amount, with the remainder possibly spent or hidden.
Exploitation of Insider Knowledge
An officer involved in the case explained that the duo exploited their proximity to real officials to mimic procedures convincingly. "They knew how officers dressed, spoke, and conducted raids. That familiarity helped them gain the trader's trust and intimidate him effectively," the officer stated. This insider knowledge allowed them to present a credible facade, making their impersonation more believable and increasing the pressure on the victim.
Legal Actions and Ongoing Investigation
The accused have been remanded to judicial custody following their arrest. Investigators plan to seek police custody to delve deeper into several aspects of the case, including whether other traders were similarly duped, how the fake IDs and warrants were created, and the potential role of the outsourcing firm that employed them at the GST office.
A formal case has been registered at the Banashankari police station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Authorities are committed to ensuring a comprehensive probe to uncover all facets of this audacious fraud and prevent similar incidents in the future.
