Bhubaneswar: Lingaraj police Sunday arrested the owner of a Jatra troupe for allegedly swindling over Rs 8.25 lakh from a woman on the pretext of making her his business partner. The accused has been identified as Amaresh Sahu, 45, who lives in Cuttack along with his family. Complainant Manorama Dash, 28, also an actress in the same troupe, had accused the owner of distributing salaries of the artistes from her account, said Purna Chandra Nayak, IIC of Lingaraj police station. Nayak said the complainant came across Amaresh and his theatre group ‘Om Siva Shakti’ in February 2024. Subsequently, she joined the troupe with a monthly payment of Rs 80,000.
However, in March, Manorama received a salary of Rs 50,000 and was asked by Amaresh to be his partner in the group. Then the duo reached a consensus that Manorama would start bearing the financial expenses of the group. Soon, Manorama stopped taking her salary from the group. Nayak said Manorama had also lent Rs 3.53 lakh to Amaresh, owing to their cordial relations. Amaresh had promised to settle the loan within a few months.
In September first week, when Manorama met Amaresh to discuss about her profit share in the business, the latter snubbed her and threatened to kill her if she raises this issue again. Later, several attempts by Manorama to settle the financial issues also went in vain. Finding no other option, she quit the group and lodged a police complaint against Amaresh, September 26. Nayak said Amaresh has been booked under Sections 318 (4), 296, and 315 (2) of BNS, and was produced before a local court Sunday for remand.
