BHUBANESWAR: The Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch on Sunday arrested a lecturer of a private college for allegedly impersonating as a Vigilance SP and extorting money from various government officials and contractors. Manoj Kumar Majhi (34) of Krushnaprasad in Puri district impersonated as a Vigilance SP by using the officer’s photograph on his WhatsApp number. Majhi even saved his mobile phone number in the name of the Vigilance SP to ensure his identity on Truecaller seems genuine.
STF registered a case in this connection on May 5 and launched a probe into the matter. During investigation, the agency established Majhi had contacted at least 14 government officials in the last few months and demanded money to not book them in false corruption cases.
Sources said none of the government officials paid Majhi. The accused had allegedly threatened and demanded money from government employees like a senior engineer of Roads and Buildings Division in Bhubaneswar, executive engineer of Public Works Department in Baripada, project director of District Rural Development Agency in Khurda, special secretary in the office of the engineer-in-chief (civil) in the capital among others.
During interrogation, Majhi revealed he was attempting to extort money from various government officials and contractors by impersonating as a senior vigilance officer. Majhi has a degree in MSc (Chemistry) and completed his PhD from Sambalpur University. “Apart from attempting to extort money from various government officials and several contractors, Majhi has also cheated at least two job aspirants to the tune of Rs 12 lakh. Investigation into the case is continuing,” said STF IG Jai Narayan Pankaj.