KOCHI: Police on Tuesday arrested a person who extorted Rs 2,000 from a shop owner by masquerading as a member of Kochi City Police Commissioner’s special squad at Kalamukku, Vypeen. The arrested person is Sijo Joseph, 41, of Poonjar, Kottayam.

The incident occurred on January 18. Sijo reached the tea stall pretending to be a member of the Kochi City Police Commissioner’s special squad and carried out an ‘inspection’.

He claimed that the shop owner was selling cigarettes illegally and threatened to take action, including closing down the shop.

He then demanded Rs 10,000 to avoid registering a police case. As the owner did not have the money, the accused settled for Rs 2,000 and asked to pay the remaining amount in a week.

Since the incident, Sijo started frequenting the shop demanding money. Upon growing suspicious of Sijo’s behaviour, the shop owner approached the Mulavukkad police.

When Sijo reached the shop again last week, the shop owner informed the police. However, he escaped before the police arrived. The police identified Sijo from CCTV visuals and arrested him from Vypeen Ro-Ro jetty on Tuesday. He was produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.