Hubballi: City police have arrested a man from Solapur in Maharashtra for allegedly duping several people in Karnataka and Maharashtra by impersonating as the Superintendent of Customs and Central Excise.

Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Pandurang Rane while speaking to reporters said that Siddappa Shivalingappa Patil (58), a native of Hutagi in Maharashtra duped five persons in Belagavi, six in Haveri and over 50 persons in Maharashtra.

He was arrested following a complaint filed by a businessman from Hubballi, whom the accused had approached promising to get him government permission to trade articles confiscated by Customs officials.

By showing fake identity card and related documents, Patil convinced the businessman that he is in possession of items that were seized by the department, and would sell it to him at lesser price.

The accused was said to have collected Rs. 8 lakh in instalments from the complainant and had demanded Rs. 9.26 from him, and in turn given him letters with fake government seal and signature.

When the complainant grew suspicious over his behaviour, he filed a complaint with the Town Police Station, and based on the inputs provided, the police arrested him from a hotel in Hubballi on Saturday, along with two of his accomplices Shyam Kambade (30) and Ramesh Malagi (42)who were residents of Hubballi.

Police have seized a car worth Rs. 8 lakh, Rs. 1.05 lakh in cash, one set of police uniform with shoes, a handcuff, ID card, fake documents and several government seals, he said.