Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, March 16: A 59-year-old man from Theni has been arrested for allegedly duping an Income Tax official of Rs 35 lac by claiming to perform a “special ritual”, police said on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Shekhar, reportedly posed as a parrot astrologer and told the officer that the ritual would improve his life and career prospects.

“Shekhar, who had his set-up near Shree Circle in Bharathinagar, approached the officer while he was walking nearby,” a police official said. “He claimed he could make predictions about the official’s life by examining his face,” the official added.

Representational image

Once the officer consented, Shekhar insisted that a special ritual was necessary to secure promotions and advance in his career. He then convinced the official to hand over gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 35 lac, saying the ritual could not be performed without them.

“She warned that if the officer did not bring the valuables, he would face ‘problems in his life’,” the official added. Shekhar promised to return the valuables after the ritual, but went absconding instead.

Police have registered a case against the suspect under Sections 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), 318(4) (cheating), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Further investigations are ongoing.