Sacked driver turns on ex-boss, masterminds fake Income Tax raid for ₹1 crore

MUMBAI: A sacked driver goes on a revenge mode by turning on his former employer by feeding a group of impostors information about the businessman’s finances, helping them stage a four-hour Income Tax raid at his Andheri office, demanding ₹1 crore to settle alleged tax violations

MUMBAI: A sacked driver goes on a revenge mode by turning on his former employer by feeding a group of impostors information about the businessman’s finances, helping them stage a four-hour Income Tax raid at his Andheri office, demanding ₹1 crore to settle alleged tax violations. But the plot was foiled when the businessman refused to pay without a formal notice from the I-T department.

The Andheri police have arrested the former driver, Santosh Khopatkar, 37, and six others for allegedly posing as I-T officials and raiding the businessman’s unit at Sahar Cargo Estate, Chakala, Andheri East, on July 17. Hunt is on for two more accused in the plot.

The group arrived dressed in formal clothes, carrying files and fake Income Tax identity cards, and created the appearance of a genuine tax raid. One of them also allegedly produced a search warrant. The complainant, Rajkumar Kandasamy, 49, a Saki Naka resident, is a wholesaler of surgical and ophthalmology equipment and runs Two-M-Opthotronics Private Limited from the Chakala premises.

On July 17, at around 4.55pm, Kandasamy received a call from his staff informing him that an Income Tax team had arrived at the office. He was asked to reach the premises immediately.

“When the businessman and his wife entered the office, they saw five men and three women present there. Some were waiting outside while others were checking documents and questioning the staff,” said DCP Datta Nalawade of the Andheri Zone. The accused allegedly questioned Kandasamy about his monthly cash expenses. When he told them that the figure was around ₹2 lakh, they allegedly claimed that only ₹5,000 was permissible under the law.

The alleged raid then took a more threatening turn. “They told him he would have to pay ₹1 crore to avoid action against tax violations. When he said he did not have the money and asked for a formal legal notice, they threatened to arrest him and told him he would have to pay a larger penalty,” said assistant police inspector Ramdas Kadam of Andheri police station.

The accused claimed that Kandasamy had received ₹1.7 lakh in cash and told him that the penalty for the alleged violation would be ₹1.44 crore. But Kandasamy refused to hand over cash. Instead, he insisted that if there was any tax violation, the department should issue him a formal notice and he would make the payment directly to the Income Tax department.

The group searched the premises but allegedly failed to find any cash. After around four hours, the fake I-T officers left, allegedly abusing Kandasamy and taking his signature on a blank sheet of paper while telling him that the raid had been completed.

The businessman was initially reluctant to approach the police. However, he later consulted his Chartered Accountant, who checked with the Income Tax department and confirmed that no such raid had been authorised.

Kandasamy subsequently approached the Andheri police, who registered a case for personation, kidnapping, extortion, criminal conspiracy, house-trespass and criminal intimidation. The investigation eventually led police to Khopatkar, who had worked as Kandasamy’s driver before leaving the job around a year ago.

According to police, Khopatkar was allegedly unhappy with his former employer and had been sacked after refusing to follow his instructions. Investigators suspect that he used his knowledge of the businessman’s financial affairs to tip off the others about the possibility of cash being kept at the office. Police said the information helped the group plan the fake raid and target Kandasamy. “We have the imposters, identified as Vinay More, 37, Prem Sabnani, 50, Pradnya Main, 27, Reshma Warang, 41, and Sabina Shaikh, 48,” Kadam said. The police are searching for two more accused.

According to investigators, the group may have carried out similar operations in the past by posing as officials from different government departments. “The gang is involved in this type of cheating and has posed as Income Tax officials, police officials and FDA officials to carry out raids. Sometimes, victims do not even approach the police,” Kadam said.