Malkangiri: A 32-year-old man, who was found impersonating an IAS officer on Facebook to dupe youths promising jobs and women with marriage proposals, was remanded in police custody Monday by Malkangiri SDJM Court for two days.
The accused, identified as Rajat Kumar Panda of Bhadrak, was produced in the Baripada SDJM Court from where he was sent to Baripada Circle Jail.
Malkangiri SDJM Court, considering a plea of Malkangiri police, Saturday remanded the accused in two-day police custody. The matter came to the fore after Lingaraj Panda, former sub-collector of Malkangiri, filed a complaint about Rajat Kumar’s fake social media account under the IT Act at Malkangiri police station.
With the help of the Malkangiri police cyber cell, the identity and address of the fake ‘IAS official’ was ascertained. According to reports, allegations were brought against Rajat for using fake Facebook page in the name of an IAS officer. Later, a complaint was filed against him with Malkangiri police, which was later passed on to other police stations in Bhubaneswar, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj.
Taking note of the report, Malkangiri police, with the help of cyber cell, traced the exact address of the accused. Later, Baripada police arrested Rajat in September. Further investigation is under way.
PNN
