Chitradurga: Holalkere police have arrested a cheater who posed as a police officer and extorted money, jewelry and cellphones from people.
On December 10, Murali R a, who had been a victim of such extortion at Rayerahalli in Hiriyur Taluk, filed a complaint of the police.
The police then identified as Rajashekharappa, a 40-year-old driver and resident of Kudligere in Bhadravathi Taluk from the Shivamogga District.
Murali told the police that when he was calling in his bicycle, a man on his coming bike.
He said he was a police officer and began asking him.
Then, he took the Murali cellphone and took Rs 1,000 from him after threatening him and speeding up.
Muraliwarawa this incident to Police Chitrahalli Gate.
Chitradurga sp Radhika G formed a team, led by the Holalkere Inspector K n Raveesh, to capture fraudsters.
The team arrested Rajashekharappa on the night of December 14.
He claimed to be in front of the police that he had extorted several people at the Chitrahalli Gate Police Station, the Chikkajajaj police station and the Sri Rampura police station in the Chitradurga District.
He also said that he targeted boys and girls with bicycles in parks and remote places and seized their valuables pretending to be police, SP Radhika added.
Police restored the stolen article Rs 2.09 lakh, including golden neck chains, four cellphones and motorbikes, from the driver.
The defendant has been sent to the detention of the tune, SP said.