BENGALURU: A roadside parrot astrologer was arrested by the Bharathi Nagar police for cheating a 55-year-old senior administrative officer at the Income Tax department of valuables worth over Rs 31 lakh. The accused had claimed to perform rituals for the officer’s promotion and transfer to a place of his interest.
The victim met the astrologer, Shekar, near Sri Circle, Bharathi Nagar in December last year. As Shekar started performing rituals, the officer gave him 194 gm of gold ornaments and around 1.3 kg of silver along with some cash. Shekar took the ornaments on February 20, claiming that they were necessary for the rituals and they would be returned a day later.
When he did not return the ornaments the next day, the officer tried to contact him repeatedly. But Shekar threatened to harm the officer and his family. He then went missing. After the IT officer filed a complaint, the police traced Shekar to Tamil Nadu. The police are now in the process of recovering the valuables from him. A case of criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal intimidation has been registered against Shekar.