CUTTACK: Trouble seems to have been mounting for IAS officer and additional secretary in the Home department Aradhana Das with the Commissionerate police seeking permission from the government for initiating action against her in a Rs 95 lakh fraud case.
Police sources said, strong evidence was found against Das in the fraud case. A complaint was lodged against her on February 5 this year by Kamal Bhawsinka of CDA-Sector-6. The complainant alleged that she had made an agreement in November 2022 for purchasing Das’ plot in CDA Sector-10 at Rs 95 lakh. As per the agreement, she had transferred Rs 85 lakh into Das’ bank account though RTGS mode and handed the remaining `10 lakh in cash.
However, after receiving the money, instead of registering and handing over the piece of land, Das reportedly told that she had spent the money and also abused the complainant and threatened to entangle her in false case. The case was registered against Das under sections 318(4), 316(2), 296(b) and 351(2) of the BNS in CDA Phase-II police station, after being reportedly suppressed earlier.
Inspector-in-charge of CDA Phase-II police station Anuradha Martha submitted her investigation report to Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo on March 21. In the two-page report, she stated that evidence confirmed that Das took Rs 95 lakh for selling the land. The report also noted that Das did not cooperate with the investigation.
“Despite being a government officer in the Home department, Das did not cooperate with police and refused to accept notices sent by post,” Martha stated in the report.
Based on the findings, Cuttack DCP wrote to state Home secretary and the police commissioner on April 1 informing them that an FIR had been registered against Das. On Monday, additional commissioner of police also wrote to additional chief secretary of General Administration department stating that an FIR had been registered against Das.
Efforts to contact Das for her response in the case were unsuccessful.