BHUBANESWAR: The city police on Wednesday arrested eight persons including three cops on the charges of cheating a businessman. Police also seized Rs 99.5 lakh cash from their possession.
The accused constable Sandipta Kumar Prusty of Badamba, constable Prafulla Kumar Bhuyan of Bhanjanagar, havildar Dilip Kumar Mallick of Pipili, Prasanta Kumar Panda of Gop, Abhishek Sethy of the Capital's Airfield area, Raj Rayabahadur of Chauliaganj in Cuttack, Prashant Padhy of Rasulgarh Sabar Sahi, Maheswar Sahoo of Ghatagaon in Keonjhar and a middle-man had hatched a conspiracy to cheat businessman Kamal Saha of Karanjia.
Police said Saha, who is into the business of selling construction materials like cement and rods, had business dealings with Maheswar in the past.
"Maheswar and other accused persons lured Saha into investing Rs 1 crore in Angadia scheme to receive higher returns on the deposited amount. They told the victim that he will get Rs 50 lakh more on his deposited amount if the money is invested with a businessman in India or countries like Dubai," said a police official.
Angadias refer to the people who carry out unofficial banking cum courier services. The service is usually used by businessmen, who transact more. People have gradually developed more trust in Angadias and find it secure. Angadias also transfer cash and jewellery to Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and other cities.
The accused persons called the victim, who had come with cash in 40 bundles, to Bijaya Palace under Airport police limits on Tuesday.
However, the middle-man, who is absconding, and the three cops ditched their associates and took away nine bundles of cash amounting to Rs 22.5 lakh. They fled the spot and passed on false information to the local police that an IPL betting racket was going on in the hotel.
When police conducted a raid, they found out that Saha was duped of his money. They then apprehended the eight accused persons and seized Rs 99.5 lakh cash, nine mobile phones and two motorcycles from them.
Police said they have launched a search operation to trace the absconding middle-man carrying stolen money amounting to Rs 50,000 with him.
Meanwhile, the three cops have been suspended by the Commissionerate Police.
Prusty was staying in reserve police office in the Capital and Bhuyan at reserve police office in Cuttack.
“We will also write to the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department to verify the income source of Saha. Further investigation is on,” said a senior police officer.