BARGARH : Melchhamunda police on Monday arrested two persons on charges of cheating a daily wager of Rs 50,000 by promising to double the amount through a staged ritual.
The accused are Suresh Suna (48) of Chakmakjuri village and Palasram Bhoi (64) of Sahajpen village under Buden police limits.
Police said the victim, Rahas Bihari Bishi (50) of Kermali village in Melchhamunda area, had kept `50,000 cash for the upcoming marriage of his daughter. Accused Bhoi, a distant relative of Bishi, came to know about the money and allegedly hatched a plan with Suna to dupe the daily wager.
Bhoi contacted Bishi over phone and lured him with an offer to double the money through one of his friends. In the hope of getting more money for their daughter’s marriage, Bishi and his wife, who are illiterate, fell for the false promise.
Soon after, Suna arrived in Kermali village and the gullible couple handed over `50,000 cash to him. The accused reportedly pretended to perform a ritual using small papers and coloured chemical-like substances to double the cash.
After some time, Suna told Bishi that more chemicals were required and took him to Diptipur on a motorcycle. He asked the victim to get down near Diptipur bus stand saying he would bring the chemicals, and fled with the entire cash, said police.
Subsequently, Bishi lodged a complaint with Melchhamunda police basing on which a case was registered. After investigation, police arrested both the accused. Cash amounting to Rs 42,500, a plastic bucket, pieces of glass and some coloured powder allegedly used in the fraud were recovered from them. The accused duo was produced in court on the day.
Police said Suna was involved in five cases registered in Dunguripali and Buden police stations under various sections of the IPC.