Wed Feb 25 14:25:49 UTC 2026: ### Headline: Housekeeping Staff Arrested for Impersonating Officials and Extorting Businessman
The Story:
Two housekeeping staff members, Nagaraju P., 37, and Dadapeer Ballari, 35, have been arrested by the Banashankari police in Bengaluru for allegedly impersonating Central government officials. The duo, working as outsourced staff at the Office of the Principal Commissioner of Central Tax, are accused of extorting ₹5 lakh from a gutka businessman by posing as GST officials and threatening action.
Vigilance officers discovered the scheme after searching the rooms where the accused were staying within the office premises. The search yielded ₹1 lakh in cash from Ballari and ₹1.5 lakh from Nagaraju, along with forged identity cards and copies of fake search warrants. Following six days of police custody, they were produced before a Bengaluru court and remanded in judicial custody.
Key Points:
- Arrest: Nagaraju P. and Dadapeer Ballari arrested for impersonating government officials.
- Location: The accused worked at the Office of the Principal Commissioner of Central Tax in Bengaluru.
- Crime: Extorted ₹5 lakh from a gutka businessman by posing as GST officials.
- Evidence: Fake ID cards and search warrants were recovered from their possession.
- Custody: Remanded in judicial custody after interrogation.
Key Takeaways:
- The incident highlights a potential vulnerability in security protocols within government offices, allowing outsourced staff to exploit their positions.
- The ease with which the accused were able to forge identification and search warrants raises concerns about document security and verification processes.
- The case demonstrates the ongoing issue of corruption and extortion, even at lower levels of government-related services.
First Piper 