Chennai: An ‘IT warrant’ copy produced by conmen quartet forced a victim, Ibrahim, to keep calm through the heist of Rs 38 lakh from him at Padi here. The forged warrant could pass off for a genuine one even for the eyes of the lettered ones at first glance, especially when one is under pressure, with so much cash at hand.
The communiqué presented as IT search warrant, available with DC, reads as signed by a senior IRS official. IT officials whom DC contacted in this regard clarified that the senior official had, in fact, retired from service last year. The IT sleuth also opined that a genuine official communiqué from the IT department could have been sourced through the lower rung staff to fabricate the warrant to suit their purpose.
The quartet that arrived at Ibrahim’s residence on January 4 around 11 am handed over this copy of the search warrant. While dwelling into the details of the warrant, the quartet informed Ibrahim that they were empowered to seize 100 per cent of the unaccounted cash as fine.
He was told that he can get his money back only after providing the source of income before the Commissioner of Income Tax whose office is at 112, Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai, according to the fictitious document. The IT sleuths actually sit at 112, Mahatma Gandhi Road (earlier known as Nungambakkam High Road) at Nungambakkam.
A senior police officer, privy to investigation, maintained that they are yet to ascertain who prepared the bogus IT search warrant which was handed over to Ibrahim during the time of search.
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