BHUBANESWAR: City police on Wednesday raided the farmhouse of fake doctor, Ramesh Chandra Swain, at Khuntuni in Dhenkanal district.
The farmhouse, which is spread over 20 acre land, is registered in the name of his second wife. The raid was conducted after a native of Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh Venkat Raman lodged a complaint at the Mahila police station alleging that Swain had procured saplings of fruit-bearing and other plants worth Rs 4.5 lakh from him. Swain provided him a cheque but it bounced.
Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash said Swain’s second wife is not appearing before the police despite being summoned. He added that police will approach the Revenue department to ascertain from whom and when Swain had purchased the land for the farmhouse.
Police suspect that Swain might have planted the saplings in his farmhouse which also has two ponds. Sources said Swain’s second wife is a doctor and currently posted in Jharkhand.
Police also arrested Swain’s sister Rashmita Beura for allegedly helping him marry several women across the country. Investigators contacted some of the victims through video calls and confronted them with Swain’s sister. They confirmed that she was present when Swain had tied the knot with them.
Rashmita’s husband is absconding after ignoring police summons in connection with the case. She endorsed her brother’s claims before the victims that he was a doctor and worked in the Central government to gain their trust. She will be brought on remand for further questioning. Rashmita and her husband’s involvement in assisting Swain to cheat businessmen, job seekers and MBBS aspirants will also be investigated, said the DCP.
Swain’s five-day police remand ended on Wednesday. The police will request for another seven-day remand of the accused to launch an investigation into his financial frauds and trace the property he has allegedly accumulated through the ill-gotten money.
A special team consisting of Mahila police station IIC Santosini Behera and Infocity IIC Samita Mishra are probing at least half a dozen allegations against Swain. The police had arrested Swain on February 14 for allegedly marrying at least 17 women by impersonating a doctor working with the Central government. Swain had conned them for money and other valuables.
PROBE SO FAR
Farmhouse is registered in the name of Swain’s second wife. Swain’s sister Rashmita held for ‘helping’ him marry several women. She was present when Swain tied the knot with many women.