Karnataka: Two held for trying to extort money by posing as ACB officers

In his complaint, Dhananjaya said an unknown person called his official number and claimed that he would raid his office and residence. The raid, the caller said, would be conducted based on a complaint by the deputy director of public instruction (DDPI) and bloc education officers (BEO) under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He also took the names of state education minister B C Nagesh and his personal assistant and demanded a “gift” to drop the raids, the complaint said.

Dhananjaya, who inquired with colleagues, found that they too received similar phone calls. Later, he approached the Vidhana Soudha police and filed a complaint against the accused under extortion and impersonation.

The ACB, which initiated an investigation, said Kumbar and Kanth are habitual offenders who extort money by posing as ACB officials. In this case, Kumbar had called Dhananjaya and claimed that ACB officials were touring Sri Lanka and demanded that they pay up or undergo a raid, said an officer.

The two were previously arrested for similar offences, but continued their ways after being released on bail, the police said. A senior police officer said, “Courts have issued arrest warrants against them, but they were absconding. It has been found that they used to take money through digital wallets.”