Odisha police arrests man from UP for cheating bizman of Rs 2.35 cr

Bhubaneswar: The economic offence wing (EOW) of Odisha police has arrested one Bijay Bharadwaj from Uttar Pradesh’s Etah for his involvement in an alleged cheating case, police said on Friday.

After producing him before the local court in Uttar Pradesh, the accused was brought to Bhubaneswar on a five-day transit remand. He is going to be produced before the JMFC, Barbil on Saturday, the police official said.

According to the EOW, accused Bharadwaj and others cheated a Joda-based businessman Pramod Kumar Rout to tune of more than Rs 2.35 crore on the pretext of paying him Rs 3 crore under Pradhan Mantri Rahat Kosh Yojona (PMRKY) against his insurance policy using the forged and manipulated documents.

Rout, who was holding one policy in Max New York Life insurance company since March-2012, had received a call in October 2019 from a person who identified himself as A.K.Walia, fund releasing head, Ministry of Finance and informed him that his insurance policy has been selected under PMRKY and he will get Rs 3 crore in his account.

After several telephonic conversations, the complainant had transferred around Rs 2.35 crore in installments during the period from November 19, 2019 to February 4, 2021. However, when no amount was received by the complainant even on the expiry of expected time, the police official informed.

Later, the businessman found that all the mobile numbers, from which he had received calls, are switched off.

During the investigation, the EOW found that all documents and letters purportedly issued by the Ministry of Finance, RBI, Income Tax department and images of two bank demand drafts in favour of the complainant were fake and forged. And, there is no such person like Walia in the office.

Out of the fraud amount of Rs 2.35 crore, about Rs 79 lakh has been remitted to the account of accused Bharadwaj.

Another accused namely Himanshu Bhandari has been arrested earlier in the case.

The EOW continues its investigation to arrest other persons involved in the cheating case.

–IANS