Odisha police arrests sister of fake doctor, who married 18 women

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha police have arrested the sister of fake doctor Ramesh Chandra Swain for her alleged involvement in his multiple marriages, an official said here on Wednesday.

Ramesh by introducing himself as a doctor, a senior officer of the Ministry of Health and the Medical Council of India, had married at least 18 women from different states and duped them of lakhs of rupees. He was arrested by the Odisha police on February 14.

During investigations, the police found that Ramesh’s sister had helped him in marrying multiple women, said Bhubaneswar DCP, Umashankar Dash.

“We arranged video conference call of a few complainants with Ramesh’s sister, during which they confirmed her involvement. The lady (Ramesh’s sister) had helped Ramesh to reinforce his fake identity while marrying the women,” Dash said.

She had also remained present during the marriages of Ramesh. So, we have asked the complaints to give details of the valuables and other items gifted to Ramesh’s sister during marriage, he said.

The police will produce the woman in court on Wednesday and will seek her remand to know about her role in other fraudulent activities of Ramesh, the DCP informed.

Suspecting the involvement of the husband of Ramesh’s sister, the police had called him for questioning. However, he has absconded.

The police have received several complaints from the people of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, who have been cheated by Ramesh.

Dash said they have received a complaint from a businessman from Kolkata alleging that Ramesh had taken hatchery machines from him claiming that the Union government is procuring them. However, the businessman is yet to receive the payment, he said.

“We have sealed Ramesh’s poultry farm in Patkura area of Kendrapara district where six such machines have been installed. The case has been transferred to the local police station for further investigation,” the DCP said.

Similarly, a businessman from Andhra Pradesh had lodged a complaint with the commissionerate police here on Tuesday, accusing Ramesh of duping him of Rs 4.5 lakh.

Claiming to be a senior officer looking after the environment wing of the health ministry, Ramesh placed an order of Rs 4.5 lakh with the nursery and gave a fake cheque. He also gave another fake cheque for Rs 6,500 to the truck driver who had brought the plants to Bhubaneswar, the police said.

After receiving the complaint, the police sealed a farmhouse registered in the name of the second wife of Ramesh. The farmhouse is spread over 15-20 acres of land located near Khuntuni area of Dhenkanal district.

“If required, we will allow the Andhra businessman to identify his saplings and take them back,” Dash said.

Apart from that, a person from Jagatsinghpur district alleged that Ramesh had taken Rs 18 lakh from him to help him get admission in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Ramesh had registered his two vehicles by submitting fake documents. For this, another case has been registered against him.

“The remand of accused Ramesh Swain is ending today. As we have received about 15 complaints against him, we will seek another seven day custodial remand of Ramesh,” the DCP added.

The commissionerate police has formed a special team for comprehensive investigation of all complaints registered against Ramesh.

Ramesh, a matric fail, had married at least 18 middle-aged single women including two Supreme Court lawyers, Delhi school teacher, police officer and doctor and acquired their money before abandoning them.

Ramesh married the women through matrimonial sites like Jeevansathi.com, Shaadi.com and Bharatmatrimony.com. The interesting part is that Ramesh has saved the phone numbers of several women as wife one, wife doctor, wife Bhilai, wife teacher, wife Guwahati, wife Bangalore, to be wife Dhenkanal, to be wife Jagatsinghpur and so on in his mobile phone.

(IANS)