Delhi Police have arrested a 42-year-old man for impersonating a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) official and extorting money from an elderly woman in the upscale Defence Colony neighbourhood.
The accused, identified as Tausif Raja, allegedly visited the woman’s home on May 9, claiming her property had unclean drains and that she faced a penalty of Rs 50,000. “He threatened to disconnect the power supply and sabotage her son’s upcoming wedding unless she paid Rs 25,000 to ‘settle’ the issue,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ankit Chauhan. The woman, fearful of his threats, handed over the money.
Just days later, on May 13, Raja returned with a fresh demand—this time for Rs 50 lakh. He again threatened to disrupt the wedding. The woman’s husband met him near the Modi Mill flyover and handed over ₹1.5 lakh in cash, police said.
The harassment continued, pushing the family to finally approach the Defence Colony police station.
Investigators tracked the accused down in the Okhla area after combing through mobile phone records and scanning footage from over 100 CCTV cameras. Upon arrest, Raja reportedly confessed to the crime. Police recovered a motorcycle, the mobile phone used in the extortion, and Rs 28,500 in cash.
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Raja is a graduate and previously worked as a property agent in the Shaheen Bagh area. He has a prior record, having been arrested in a 2018 cheating case registered at the IP Estate police station.
The case is being further investigated.
(With inputs from PTI)
