Chhatrapur: Ganjam Cyber Crime and Economic Offences (CC & EO) police have arrested a 39-year-old man in Goa for allegedly defrauding a widow of about Rs 60 lakh by promising to marry her through a matrimonial website.
The accused, Jinu Sahani alias Rakesh Rajput, a native of Peonapada village in Kandhamal district, allegedly posed as Sai Krupa Das of Bhubaneswar on Jeevansathi.com to gain the woman’s trust.
DSP Girija Pattanaik and IIC Jyotiranjan Behera shared these details during a press conference held Monday at the Ganjam CC & EO PS.
According to police, Sahani fabricated stories about his father’s illness and death and his own medical condition to extract money.
He allegedly used fake photographs, video calls and forged medical documents on WhatsApp to deceive the woman. Claiming his bank account had been frozen, he also operated her account.
The widow mortgaged her gold ornaments and borrowed money from relatives and others before transferring about Rs 60 lakh to various accounts, police said.
Police seized seven mobile phones, seven SIM cards, fake stamps, identity documents, forged court orders and fake bank demand drafts.
About Rs 12.31 lakh in bank accounts linked to the accused has been frozen.
Investigators said Sahani had been involved in fraud cases since 2015, with cases registered in Puri-Konark, Brahmapur and Bhubaneswar.
The alleged fraud across cases exceeds Rs 1 crore.
Another accused in this case, Uttam Kumar Sahu alias Miki, 32, was arrested August 2.
The investigation is continuing. The investigation is being led by CC & EO PS IIC Jyotiranjan Behera.