‘I-T official’ who cheated shopkeepers in SoBo held

According to the police, in February, Mukherjee had visited a shop and duped the owners of a bag, shoes, and sweatshirt worth ₹8,000

A 32-year-old man who duped shopkeepers in south Mumbai by posing as an income tax (I-T) official was arrested on Sunday by Azad Maidan police. The accused, identified as Gautam Sudhir Mukherjee, would take bags, shoes and electronic gadgets from shopkeepers on the pretext of seizing them.

On Sunday, at around 7.30pm, Mohammed Sajid, the owner of the shop which Mukherjee had visited, spotted him roaming in the area.(HTPhotos)

According to the police, in February, Mukherjee had visited a shop and duped the owners of a bag, shoes, and sweatshirt worth ₹8,000.

“He threatened the shopkeepers before leaving and so they chose not to register a first information report. However, they did save the CCTV footage of the incident and alerted all neighbouring shop owners,” said a police officer.

On Sunday, at around 7.30pm, Mohammed Sajid, the owner of the shop which Mukherjee had visited, spotted him roaming in the area.

“The shop owners caught Mukherjee and informed the police. We registered a case under the relevant section of the Indian Penal Code [IPC] on Sunday and arrested the accused for posing as an income tax officer,” said Vasant Wakhare, senior inspector, Azad Maidan police station.

During the investigation, the police found that the accused had cases against him at Andheri, Borivli, Gamdevi, and other police stations.

“He confessed to fleeing with a mobile phone worth ₹1.20 lakh from a shop in Gamdevi,” said another officer from Azad Maidan police station.