KOCHI: The Ernakulam Rural Police on Thursday arrested a 32-year old Maharashtra native who had duped several businesspersons posing as Income Tax Assistant Commissioner. The accused has been identified as Ashish Ramesh Bizza, a native of Dhamangaon, in Amaravati district. 

“The accused had called many businesses and informed them that the documents of tax evasion against them were in his possession and raids would be conducted at their establishments. He said that he could avoid the raids if money was paid to him. He also informed them that the copies of the documents will be sent via e-mail if the advance money is deposited to his account. An inquiry following a complaint lodged by a business person in Perumbavoor led to his arrest,” said an officer. 

He had demanded lakhs of rupees from the businessmen for avoiding the raids. “Those who had fallen prey were reluctant to accept the folly. The accused was handling several bank accounts and had procured the SIM cards using fake addresses,” the police said.

The officers arrested the accused after a five-day long inquiry conducted in Maharashtra. “The accused feigned illness and got admitted to a hospital in Nagpur. He was brought to Bengaluru, about 1200 km, in an ambulance and from there to Kochi on a flight,” officers said.