Odisha EOW Arrests Another Fraudster in Land Scam Case

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha police has arrested another accused in Bhubaneswar land scam case, an official said on Friday.

The accused Gour Prasad Mohanty of Pallahat, Khordha has been arrested from Puri.

Earlier, two fraudsters — Sabita Das and Aditya Kumar Sahoo — were arrested in this case, the official said.

The arrests were made against a case registered based on the written allegation of one Swosti Ranjan Pani of Sailashree Vihar, Bhubaneswar.

The complaint alleged that the fraudsters contacted him to purchase a landed property at Bachhapur Mouza, Baranga for an amount of Rs 2 crore standing in the name of one Rangalata Swain.

They also showed him Patta, PAN, Aadhaar, and a residential certificate in the name of Rangalata Swain, the owner of the land.

The accused tricked him into giving Rs 25 lakh as advance towards the purchase of the said land. But subsequently, the fraudsters switched off their mobiles and eluded him.

When the complainant inquired into the matter at his level, Pani ascertained that he was by the fraudsters who impersonated the real owner Rangalata Swain, a 75 years old lady.

During investigation, the EOW found that Rangalata is the bonafide owner of five plots in the area and the fraudsters have entered into a criminal conspiracy to sell out the land. They have prepared the forged Aadhaar, PAN, residential certificate in the name of Rangalata by affixing the photo of the impersonator Sabita Das on those documents, the official informed.

They also opened a bank account with Axis Bank in the name of Rangalata Swain by using the forged documents as KYC, and the account was managed by accused Sabita Das.

After making the forged documents, the fraudsters tried to avail loan from bank by mortgaging the Patta of the land and impersonating the real owner Rangalata Swain but when they failed, a registered agreement was made between the fake Rangalata Swain and one Sripati Badajena to sell away the above said landed property to him and received Rs 20 lakh as advance.

Subsequently, the arrested accused Gour Prasad Mohanty with others, including the fake land owner (Sabita Das), again contacted the complaint Pani to sell the same land and persuaded him to pay Rs 25 lakh in advance.

Pani paid Rs 25 lakh to the account opened in the name of Rangalata Swain but managed by impersonator Sabita Das, which was subsequently withdrawn by Sabita Das and the amount was misappropriated by the fraudsters.

Out of Rs 25 lakh, an amount of Rs 10 lakh was transferred to the account of the arrested accused Mohanty.

–IANS