BeMC Ex-Executive Engineer Arrested for Cheating in Multiple Land Fraud Cases

Berhampur: Former Executive Engineer of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) Pattam Shyamababu Patro has been arrested on charges of cheating and criminal intimidation in connection with two separate land fraud cases.

The accused Patro (58), who had taken voluntary retirement from government service in December 2019, was apprehended from his residence in Bhubaneswar today and produced before the court.

The primary complainant, Sumanta Kumar Sahu (49), a resident of Gandhi Nagar, Berhampur, alleged that the accused had duped him and his wife, Rashmita Sahu, in a land deal dating back to 2016.

According to the FIR, Patro had entered into a sale agreement for a parcel of land at Lochapada, promising to transfer six plots measuring approximately 0.590 acres for a total sum of Rs 71 lakhs.

The couple paid an advance of Rs 25 lakhs through bank transactions in 2016. However, Patro failed to execute the sale or return the full amount. After prolonged demands and pressure from the complainants, he refunded Rs 15 lakhs in 2021 but withheld the remaining Rs 10 lakhs. The situation escalated when Patro allegedly abused and threatened the couple, prompting them to file an FIR.

In another case, Patro has also cheated another person Santosh Kumar Muni, an Australian NRI from Berhampur Town to a tune of Rs 25 Lakhs in plea of selling Land and in this regard Gosaninuagaon PS Case No- 178 Dt 24.05.2025 U/S 318(4)/351(2)/3(5) BNS has been lodged and under investigation.

After prima-facie evidence established against the FIR named accused Pattam Shyamababu Patro, he is arrested today from Bhubaneswar and forwarded to court, said Berhampur SP Dr. Saravana Vivek M.

He also urged other potential victims to report grievances at their local police station or the Superintendent of Police’s office in Berhampur.