Hinjili: Two couples were arrested in Odisha’s Ganjam district for allegedly defrauding 11 people by promising jobs and swindling around Rs 18.70 lakh, a source said Tuesday.
The arrested individuals were identified as Ganesh Nayak and his wife Tapaswini Singh, along with Bipini Patra and his wife Bijuli Patra, all from Patharbandh slum under Saheed Nagar Police Station in Bhubaneswar.
Both couples were presented before a court Monday, the source added.
Police stated that Ganesh Nayak, along with Bipini’s family, had relocated from Bhubaneswar to a rented house in Kanjiama village, falling under the jurisdiction of Hinjili police station.
The couples allegedly swindled 11 people by promising them jobs in the area, but when the promised employment never materialised, the victims demanded their money back. However, the alleged fraudsters kept misleading the victims which subsequently led to the filing of a case against the two couples at Hinjili Police Station.
Among the victims, Rashmita Swain lost Rs 2 lakh, Banita Swain Rs 80,000, Rita Jena Rs 1 lakh, Mangulu Bisoyi Rs 3.59 lakh, Sangram Rout Rs 2.5 lakh, Vidyadhar Rout Rs 46,000, Rohi Jena Rs 1.90 lakh and Dasharathi Behera Rs 80,000.
Read Also: Online friendship turns to abuse: Hot tawa, cigarette butts used in torturing woman
Additional complaints were filed with the police Sunday, with Panchanan Behera from Ambilapalli village reporting a loss of Rs 1.20 lakh, Jeevan Behera Rs 2 lakh and Santosh Dakua Rs 45,000.
According to the source, before relocating from Bhubaneswar, one of the accused, Bipini, had allegedly duped Bulu Jena, a grocery shop owner at Salia Sahi slum in Bhubaneswar, of Rs 2 lakh.
It can also be mentioned here that the accused Ganesh Nayak has a criminal record, with several cases registered against him at various police stations, including those in Bhubaneswar.
PNN
