Man held for duping US, Canadian nationals

Nishant Shirsikar, a key accused, was arrested from Evershine Nagar, suburban Malad and Rs 40 lakh in unaccounted cash and four gold biscuits weighing 200 gms were also seized, the police said. Shirsikar and other members of the racket allegedly called US and Canadian citizens, posing as officials of Inland Revenue Service or US Citizenship and Immigration Service.

The Criminal intelligence Unit of the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a 30-year-old man who was allegedly part of a racket which duped US and Canadian citizens by posing as tax or immigration officials. Nishant Shirsikar, a key accused, was arrested from Evershine Nagar, suburban Malad and Rs 40 lakh in unaccounted cash and four gold biscuits weighing 200 gms were also seized, the police said.

Shirsikar and other members of the racket allegedly called US and Canadian citizens, posing as officials of Inland Revenue Service or US Citizenship and Immigration Service. They threatened the foreign nationals with arrest, fine or some other penalty if `government dues' were not paid.

The payment was accepted through online gift cards. Shirsikar allegedly provided foreign nationals' data to his associates and helped in setting up call centers from where these racket operated.

He was in this business for almost five years, said an officer. Further probe is on..