Bhubaneswar: A youth from Nayagarh was arrested by the Cuttack Lalbagh police on Saturday for allegedly posing as a police officer and cheating a young woman of Rs 1.64 lakh on the pretext of marriage.
The accused, identified as Pratap Kumar Dash, currently resides in the Unit VI area under Capital Police Station limits in Bhubaneswar. Originally from Fatehgarh village in Nayagarh district, Dash is said to be involved in the travel business.
According to police, Pratap befriended the victim, Bhanupriya, through Facebook, where he introduced himself as a member of the special squad of the Odisha Police. Over time, he gained her trust by assuring her that he would divorce his wife and marry her.
Believing his promises, Bhanupriya transferred Rs 1.64 lakh to him for marriage-related arrangements and for relocating to an urban area. However, after receiving the money, Dash allegedly started avoiding her and failed to fulfill any of the commitments he made. When the woman repeatedly asked for her money back, he reportedly abused and threatened to kill her.
With no other option, Bhanupriya lodged a complaint at the Khandagiri police station in Bhubaneswar. Following a preliminary investigation, the complaint was forwarded to multiple police stations. Acting on the input, the Lalbagh police arrested Dash from Nayagarh. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of Rs 30,000.
Police have registered a case against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and further investigation is underway.
