BHUBANESWAR: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch on Saturday arrested the directors of City-based real estate firm Appolo Infra Project Ltd on charges of cheating and forgery. The accused, identified as Sudhanidhi Patnaik and Abanikanta Mishra, had taken over `3 crore as deposits from the public by promising them land in different parts of the City.
The EOW action came on the basis of a complaint of one Nihar Ranjan Nayak who had deposited `7.50 lakh with Appolo Infra in 2010 for a patch of homestead land in Sizua Mouza on the outskirts of the State Capital. Even after six years, the realtors failed to hand over the proposed plot or refund Nayak’s deposits following which the latter lodged a complaint with the Crime Branch. The accused also cheated Nayak’s family members of `61 lakh in the same manner.
Appolo Infra has its corporate office at Tangi in Khurda district and branches in various parts of the State. The company’s managing director Dipak Mohanty was arrested this November on charges of duping gullible investors.
The accused were booked under Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act and relevant Sections of the IPC. They were produced in a local court which sent them in judicial custody.