Malkangiri: The Malkangiri district police have arrested a cyber fraudster from Bhadrak for allegedly cheating a man of ₹60,000 by luring him with a fake diesel purchase offer, officials said on Monday.
According to a press note issued by the District Police Headquarters, Malkangiri, the accused has been identified as Chandan Das (29), son of Arjun Das, a resident of Paik Sahi, Dhamara, under Marine police station limits in Bhadrak district.
The case was registered at Orkel Police Station on November 1 under Sections 319(2)/318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) read with Sections 66-C and 66-D of the IT Act.
The complainant, Krushna Mohan Mallick (37) of Balimela Chowk in Malkangiri, had approached Orkel police after receiving frequent calls from a mobile number claiming to belong to a “supervisor of the Tarlakota construction site.” The caller told him that 2,500 litres of diesel were available at ₹60 per litre and sent a QR code via WhatsApp to complete the payment.
Trusting the caller, Mallick transferred ₹60,000 through the QR code. Soon after the payment, the phone number was switched off, and the victim realized he had been duped in a diesel scam.
During investigation, the police traced the accused and seized an ATM card, a mobile phone, and cash from his possession.
