Nashik, May 17 (PTI) A 27-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly demanding Rs 1 crore from senior NCP leader and former minister Chhagan Bhujbal over the phone by posing as an Income Tax officer, police said on Saturday.

Bhujbal's PA Santosh Gaikwad had received multiple calls from an unidentified person between April 23 and May 16, following which he approached the police.

"The caller told Bhujbal's PA that the Income Tax Department will raid Bhujbal's farmhouse in Trimbakeshwar. He offered to help by claiming that he is part of the I-T team and demanded Rs 1 crore," police said.

An investigation was launched after Bhujbal's PA informed the Nashik Police Commissioner.

The accused demanded that the money be delivered to him in Dharampur in Gujarat, but didn't turn up. He again called up Bhujbal's PA and asked him to come to a hotel in Karanjali village in Peth taluka of Nashik district.

After the accused arrived at the spot on a motorcycle and accepted money, he was arrested by a team of crime branch officials lying in wait, police said.

The accused is identified as Rahul Dilip Bhusare, a resident of Karanjali, from the spot.

Police seized 60 Indian currency notes of Rs 500 denomination, 15 bundles of Rs 500 denomination notes of Bharatiya Bachhon Ka Bank, and scrap papers, cumulatively worth Rs 85,500 from his possession.

He was booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

"Suspect Bhusare had called former minister Chhagan Bhujbal and demanded Rs 1 crore as extortion money. He made another call on May 2. He was in contact with Bhujbal's PA from May 13-16. The police laid a trap and arrested him," DCP Prashant Bachhav (Crime) said. PTI COR NSK

Extortion by impersonation of tax officer leads to arrest after a police trap and seizure during staged handover. A person impersonated an Income Tax officer and repeatedly phoned a former minister's personal assistant to threaten a raid and demand cash, directing covert handovers at specified locations; police investigated after the assistant reported the calls, conducted a sting operation at a meeting point, arrested the suspect on receipt of money, and seized currency and related materials, with the accused booked under criminal provisions for fraudulent impersonation and attempted extortion.