A gang impersonating Income Tax officials has been exposed in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district after local traders alerted the police about an extortion racket operating in Shadiyabad and Saidpur markets.
The group had reportedly been conducting fake “raids” on shops, posing as tax अधिकारियों and threatening traders into paying large sums of money. Suspicion grew among shopkeepers after repeated visits and unusual behaviour during these so-called inspections.
The situation escalated when traders informed Ikramul Haq, president of the Industrial Trade Board, about the suspected fraud. During another such attempt, shopkeepers acted quickly, alerted the police, and managed to apprehend three members of the gang on the spot.
Ghazipur City SP Rakesh Mishra confirmed the arrests and stated that police teams have been formed to track down the main आरोपी, Sars Kumar Gupta, who is currently absconding. Reports suggest the gang consists of around eight members, including one woman.
Following the incident, traders lodged a formal complaint at the Shadiyabad police station, demanding strict action and a detailed investigation into the network behind the fraud.
Police are currently interrogating the arrested individuals and working to uncover the full extent of the operation. Meanwhile, a photo of Gupta with Afzal Ansari has surfaced on social media, triggering public reactions, though no official link between the MP and the case has been established so far.
