‘Special 26’ drama in Wardha: 2 fake income tax officers nabbed

Wardha: In a real-life twist reminiscent of a Bollywood movie ‘Special 26'-style operation, two youths posing as income tax officers were caught red-handed by Ramnagar police while attempting a fake raid on Tuesday afternoon.The drama unfolded around 2pm on March 4 in Sainagar area, when the accused Kisan Parbat and Chetan Chavan arrived in a four-wheeler and claimed to be Mumbai income tax officers carrying a search warrant. Speaking in an official tone, they gained entry into Chintaman Kongre's home in Shri Niwas Colony, asking the family to gather documents, cash, and valuables, while even pretending to record the proceedings on a mobile phone.
Suspecting something was off, Chintaman's son, Suhas, contacted acquaintances Shekhar Shende and Pravin Hivre. The suspects were then taken to chartered accountant Jagdish Chandak for verification.Questioning revealed glaring inconsistencies in their claims. The police, alerted by sub-divisional officer Pramod Makeshwar and the control room, rushed to the scene and detained the duo before taking them to the station.A preliminary check by income tax officials confirmed that the IDs and search warrant were fake. Authorities seized expensive mobile phones, forged identity cards, and fake warrant-like documents from the accused.Police have urged citizens to verify the credentials of visiting officials and immediately report any suspicious activity. Ramnagar police are investigating whether others were involved.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !