MALKANGIRI: Mathili police on Tuesday arrested Chinmay Mahapatra of Jambeswarpur, Genguti village under Balasore headquarters police limits in Balasore district on charges of duping at least five job aspirants of Malkangiri of Rs 20 lakh.
The district police headquarters in a release here stated that one Krushna Chandra Barik (33) of Bimanpali village under Mathili police limits lodged a complaint against Mahapatra who had assured him to provide a job in Food Corporation of India (FCI) for Rs 6 lakh. Accordingly, Barik paid him the sum by cash and other modes of transactions.
Later, Mahapatra came in contact with other victims Santosh Behera, Madhusmita Pujari, Siba Odia, and Rajendra Barik through Barik and also assured them to provide government jobs. He collected a total of Rs 14 lakh from them, the release stated.
However, as time passed neither did Mohapatra provide Barik with any job nor refunded the amount thereby forcing him to approach the police. A case was since then registered and an investigation was on, police said.
The accused was tracked by Mathili police team and intercepted at Cuttack. On interrogation, the accused disclosed that he was staying in Bhubaneswar with his wife and is engaged in supplying materials for construction works.
“The accused came in contact with the victim in July 2020 and befriended him. After that he assured to provide him job in FCI and accordingly Barik sent Rs 6 lakh to the account of the accused through various modes,” the release added.
Mahapatra was arrested and forwarded to court on Tuesday, police said while appealing to people not to fall into such traps or transfer any money in the lure of job offers. Two mobile phones with different SIM cards, ATM cards and Aadhaar cards were seized from his possession.