BBMP staffers, two others dupe taxpayer of Rs 90,000 with fake receipt

BENGALURU: A Jayanagar resident who wanted to save some amount on his long overdue property tax ended up losing Rs 90,000 after four people, including two BBMP officials, conned him with a fake payment receipt.
Jayanagar police have registered an FIR against Yediyur ward revenue inspector Ramaiah and tax inspector Shrinivasa along with two data-entry operators (outsourced staff) Pradeep and Manja, who handed over the fake receipt to Muniraju R, a driver.All four are absconding.

“We have formed a team to nab the culprits. The data-entry operators’ mobiles are switched off,” said an officer privy to the investigation. “This seems to be a huge scam. Muniraju’s complaint is just the tip of the iceberg. More BBMP officials are under the scanner as their roles in the scam can’t be ruled out,” the officer added.
According to the complaint by Muniraju, a resident of Vijayarangam Layout in 6th Block, Jayanagar, he owns property No. 1/2 with PID No. 59-145-2 in Yediyur ward and failed to pay property tax for over 10 years due to financial crisis. A copy of the complaint is available with TOI.
When Muniraju approached BBMP’s Yediyur ward office, revenue inspector Ramaiah directed him to meet data-entry operators Pradeep and Manja, who would calculate his pending tax amount. Muniraju got in touch with the duo, who were accompanied by tax inspector Shrinivas. The trio told Muniraju he had to pay a total tax of Rs 1,19,623, which was due since 2008.
Later, Pradeep approached Muniraju and told him he could reduce the amount. He lured the victim by saying he would give him a receipt for 10 years and all Muniraju had to pay was Rs 90,000.
They delivered receipt to victim’s house
Muniraju agreed to the deal. On September 25, 2018, the four accused generated the tax receipt in Muniraju’s name and delivered it to his house. Exactly a year later, Muniraju visited the same BBMP office to pay property tax for 2019-20. But he was in for a shock as the staffers told him he’s yet to clear dues since 2008.
Muniraju tried to convince the same set of officers and data-entry operators by showing the 10-year tax receipt which they had given to him but they turned down his claim saying it was fake. When Muniraju realised he had been cheated, he filed a complaint with Jayanagar police.
Former corporator and BJP’s city unit spokesperson NR Ramesh said, “BBMP revenue staff are not performing their task properly and are depending more on data-entry operators. I have asked the commissioner to reshuffle data-entry operators and to conduct direct recruitment through Karnataka Public Service Commission,” Ramesh added.
BBMP commissioner BH Anil Kumar said the issue has come to his notice and he’s looking into it.