The Anti-Corruption Bureau caught a conman red-handed extorting lakhs of rupees from a civic official. A 28-year-old jobless MBA graduate and his female accomplice posed as ACB officials and extorted Rs 23 lakh from the BMC assistant engineer, 52, over the past three years.

The ACB caught the accused on August 23, after the victim approached the agency on being asked to pay Rs 45 lakh more. The extortion started on June 2, 2016, when Sudhir (name changed) received a phone call from one Mrs Dani, who claimed to be a sub-inspector from the ACB.