JAJPUR: A physical education teacher (PET) of a government high school in the district was arrested on Friday for allegedly duping five persons of Rs 51 lakh by promising them jobs in the Indian Railways.
The accused, Jyoti Ranjan Samal, is the PET of Krushna Prasad High School at Katia within Dasarathpur police limits.
Police said one Ramesh Chandra Mohanty met Samal in Bhubaneswar last year and both developed a cordial relationship. Samal reportedly claimed he had helped many people get jobs in the Indian Railways as his relative was placed in a top position there. Subsequently, Mohanty requested him to arrange railway jobs for his nephew and three of his relatives.
Samal demanded Rs 48 lakh for the jobs and accordingly, Mohanty gave him the entire amount in several installments last year. The accused also collected Rs 3 lakh from a woman from neighbouring Bhadrak district on the plea of employing her in the railways.
After taking the money, Samal had assured the victims to arrange the jobs within a month. However, he could not keep his promise. When the job seekers tried to contact him, he became incommunicado.
After realising that they had been cheated, Mohanty along with the four other victims filed complaints against Samal in Dasarathpur police station. Dasarathpur IIC B Behera based on the complaints, police registered a case and arrested the accused.