Delhi Police on Saturday arrested a 42-year-old man for impersonating an MCD official to extort money from an elderly woman in the Defence Colony area of south Delhi.
“Tausif Raja, who falsely claimed to be from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), went to the complainant’s residence on May 9 and claimed that her property had unclean drains for which she would be issued a challan of Rs 50,000,” DCP (South) Ankit Chauhan said.
Raja told the woman that he would get the power supply disconnected, and he would spoil her son’s marriage if she did not pay him Rs 25,000 to settle the matter, and the complainant paid him as she feared he might take advantage of her, the officer said.
“On May 13, Raja returned and demanded Rs 50 lakh from the woman, again threatening to sabotage the wedding. The complainant’s husband handed over Rs 1.5 lakh in cash to the accused near the Modi Mill flyover,” the DCP said.
“However, Raja continued to harass the family, demanding more money, prompting the woman to file a complaint at the Defence Colony police station,” he added.
Police arrested the accused from the Okhla area after scanning mobile call records and footage from more than 100 CCTV cameras, the DCP said.
During questioning Raja admitted to the crime, he said, police seized a motorcycle, the mobile phone used in the crime, and Rs 28,500 in cash from the accused’s possession.
Raja was a graduate and previously employed as a property agent from the Shaheen Bagh area. He had prior arrest history in 2018 registered in a cheating case at the IP Estate police station.