The imposter used to prey on govt officials under investigation, and blackmail them
The imposter used to prey on govt officials under investigation, and blackmail themThe Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested a 30-year-old man yesterday who was blackmailing government officials and extorting money from them posing as a Lokayukta official.
Lokesh alias Srinivas, was caught while he was blackmailing a Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) officer demanding a ransom of Rs 50 lakh promising to close a 'pending' case against him.
In 2007, posing as a CBI officer, Lokesh raided the house of a businessman along with his associates and had robbed Rs 25 lakh. The Madiwala police arrested Lokesh and remanded him to judicial custody.
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| Lokesh was caught while he was demanding ransom from a Karnataka Administrative Service officer, promising to close a 'pending' case against him |
Lokesh served three years in jail, and continued his business once he was released. Though, this time, he changed his profession from a CBI officer to a Lokayukta investigator, and came to Kengeri with his wife.
Then, he got an ID card printed as Junior Assistant/ Informer, state Lokayukta, in the name of Vikas. Having done this, he started contacting businessmen and government officials using different aliases.
His first victim was a joint director of agriculture, whom he blackmailed posing as Lokayukta investigator, and took a ransom of Rs 10 lakh.
With the money, he purchased an expensive Yamaha motorcycle and spent some of the money on different vices.
Later Lokesh used to collect details of the government officials who were trapped by Lokayukta and extort money from them, promising an official favour.
His second victim was the KAS officer of Training and research. Lokesh threatened him that his department had received a disproportionate wealth case against him and an inquiry was underway.
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He threatened the officer that there were chances of raids on his house, if he failed to give Rs 50 lakh.
Vikas also told the officer that he would have to share the amount with other officials of the Lokayukta for dropping the case. The officer got suspicious, and based on his complaint, a team of CCB officials trapped Lokesh.
The police recovered several documents and fake ID cards in different names and list of documents pertaining to the details of the government officials from his residence.
"Lokesh was planning to target government officials who were under investigation by Lokayukta to extort money from them," Assistant Commissioner of Police BN Nyame Gowda said, adding that they are enquiring to ascertain whether they are more victims.
