In a swift operation, Nashik Police Crime Branch arrested Rahul Bhusare, a 28-year-old man from Gujarat, for allegedly impersonating an Income Tax officer and attempting to extort Rs1 crore from Santosh Gaikwad, the personal assistant of senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal.
Bhusare, a B.Sc graduate and native of Karanjali in Nashik, had been making repeated calls to Gaikwad between April 23 and May 16, 2025, threatening an imminent IT raid on Bhujbal’s farmhouse in Trimbakeshwar if the money was not paid.
The accused used multiple SIM cards and frequently changed locations to evade detection. He claimed insider knowledge of Bhujbal’s unaccounted wealth and posed as a senior IT officer. The extortion calls prompted Gaikwad to lodge a police complaint, initiating an intensive investigation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Prashant Bachhav said, “We traced him through call data and technical surveillance. He was caught in a sting operation at a hotel near Ritam Valley, where he arrived to collect the money. Our team used real and dummy currency notes to trap him.”
The accused was apprehended in Dharampur, Gujarat, after a joint operation by Nashik and Gujarat police.
ts
NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal confirmed the incident:
“My assistant received a call from someone claiming to be an IT officer who demanded Rs1 crore to prevent a raid. We immediately involved the police, and they responded effectively.”
Police stated that Bhusare confessed to the extortion attempt. Authorities are now probing whether he acted alone or is part of a larger racket. Investigators are also checking if he made similar threats to other political or business figures.
