Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Crime Branch arrested the owner of a web news portal from Bhubaneswar in a case of cheating/ forgery/ impersonation involving more than Rs1 crore, an EOW source said Saturday.
The source added that Surjit Kumar Dhal, owner of web news portal ‘Reporters Today’ and Newspaper ‘Mahabharat’ was arrested yesterday from an apartment in the city.
Dhal was arrested under various sections of IPC on the written allegation of one Kalinga Keshari Rath, who has a real estate business, against Dhal for cheating him of Rs 1 crore by using forged documents and also extorting/ cheating money impersonating as an influential person having big contacts, the source said.
He will be produced before the Designated Court under OPID, Cuttack Saturday.
Accused Dhal had given an impression to the informant that he is a big person in the field of media and also impersonating as influential person with big contacts and forging many documents like fake BDA approval, the source added.
The complainant had paid Dhal Rs.1 crore through account and in cash. This apart, he had taken one Mercedes and Audi vehicle from Rath, the source informed.
After knowing about the fraudulence committed by the accused, the complainant asked him to repay the amount taken from him and also requested him to return his two costly cars.
EOW sources said although Dhal returned the vehicles, he did not return the amount despite several requests. Dhal had also threatened Rath that he would destroy his business using his influence.
Further investigation into the case is on.
UNI