Parrot astrologer scam: Bengaluru IT officer duped of ₹20 lakh in 'ritual' trap

A man posing as a parrot astrologer has been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly cheating an Income Tax officer and duping him of gold and silver valuables worth over ₹20 lakh. The Bharathinagar police said a substantial portion of the stolen property has been recovered following an investigation.

According to police, the accused, identified as 59-year-old Shekar from Tamil Nadu, approached the officer near Sri Circle and claimed he could predict his future through face reading. He allegedly offered to perform rituals to improve the officer’s career and overall well-being.

The accused initially collected ₹50,000 from the victim. He later contacted him again, claiming that a more elaborate ritual was required for better prospects, including career growth and transfers. Police said the accused created fear by warning of negative consequences if the rituals were not performed.

Under this pretext, the officer handed over gold ornaments weighing 194 grams and silver items weighing approximately 1.3 kg, with the understanding that they would be returned after the rituals. However, when the victim later demanded his valuables back, the accused allegedly threatened him.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered at Bharathinagar Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Sections 316(2), 318(4), 351(2) and 352.

During the probe, police tracked down the accused near Cantonment Railway Station and took him into custody. Officials said he confessed to the crime during interrogation, admitting that he acted with the intent of making quick money.

Further investigation revealed that the stolen items had been sold at a jewellery shop in Halasuru. Acting on this information, police conducted a recovery operation and seized 124 grams of gold and 796 grams of silver, with the total recovered property valued at around ₹20.60 lakh.

The accused was produced before a court and initially remanded to police custody for five days. He was later sent to judicial custody, police said, adding that further investigation in the case is ongoing.