I-T inspectors held for extortion

I-T inspectors held for extortion
Pranati Mehra

JANUARY 25: Airport police today arrested two inspectors of the Air Intelligence unit of the Income Tax posted at the domestice airport for allegedly extorting Rs 2,5000 from a passenger. DCP (airport) Sanjay Barve, when contacted, confirmed the fact of the arrests.

The two inspectors against whom a case of threatening and extortion has been registered are P K Pathak and A K Tagade. The Chennai-bound passenger was carrying Rs five lakhs for a business meeting last evening. On screening, he was stopped by the AIU officers and asked to explain the cash. AIU of Income Tax is the unit that monitors passengers carrying conspicuous amounts of cash or jewellery or goods in the domestic air traffic with a view to tracking unexplained or unaccounted business.

The passenger was first asked to fill up the form explaining the cash. Though he complied, explaining the reason for his carrying the cash, he was allegedly threatened with deplanement and detention. The I-T inspectors then allegedly made a demand of Rs 5,0000, and even as they continued to haggle, tore up the form he had filled. They agreed to let him go for Rs 25,000.

The passenger, who returned from Chennai this afternoon, lodged a complaint with the police, and the two inspectors were identified when they came on their shift this evening.

The inspectors are supposed to inform an officer of the level of assistant director of investigation or above if they need to detain a passenger. They had done no such thing, sources confirmed.