Bhubaneswar: A man was arrested for allegedly duping Odisha Minister Krushna Chandra Patra of Rs 25 lakh with a promise to provide him a land plot in Dhenkanal district, police said Tuesday.
The arrest was made on the basis of a written complaint filed by the state food supply and consumer welfare minister at Dhenkanal Town Police Station July 26, an officer said.
“We have arrested Niranjan Satpathy of Banasingh in Dhenkanal district for duping the minister of Rs 25 lakh and forwarded him to a local court,” Dhenkanal Town Police Station inspector-in-charge Pravat Sahu said.
According to the police, Patra had given Rs 25 lakh as an advance to the accused in 2021 for purchasing a plot of land in the Banasingh area.
However, the accused did not provide the land plot to the minister, the officer said, citing the complaint.
Satpathy, later, issued two cheques to Patra, but those were bounced, he said.
“The accused has also given a written statement to the minister with a promise to return his money. However, he did not honour the promise,” the IIC said.
Speaking to media persons Monday, Patra had said he paid the money as an advance to buy a plot four years ago, when he was serving as a director in a company.
As the “man neither provided a land parcel nor returned the money”, Patra said he had lodged a complaint with the local police.
PTI