Mangaluru (Karnataka) Dec 23 (PTI) A man was arrested for posing as a Lokayukta officer and attempting to extort money via WhatsApp, Ullal police said.

According to a press release from the Commissioner of Police, Mangaluru, Dhananjaya Reddy Thota (31) allegedly called Purushottam, a panchayat officer, posing as a Lokayukta official. He demanded money to "resolve" an alleged corruption case. Suspicious of the caller's identity, Purushottam alerted authorities, prompting an investigation.

Also Read | Mahila Samman Yojana Registration Begins in Delhi: Know Eligibility, List of Required Documents and How To Apply To Get INR 2,100 Monthly.

Tracing the call led police to Andhra Pradesh, where Thota was apprehended on Saturday. Preliminary investigations revealed that he had no connection to the Lokayukta and was using the scheme to exploit officials by leveraging fear of legal action.

Ullal police are now probing whether Thota was involved in similar scams elsewhere. The case highlights the need for vigilance against such fraudulent activities targeting government employees.

Also Read | 8th Pay Commission: Central Govt Employees Plan Nationwide Agitation After Finance Ministry Says No Plans to Establish 8th CPC.

Thota has been remanded to police custody and further investigations are underway.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)