Bhubaneswar: A 23-year-old woman has alleged that she was raped by a man she approached for help in a financial fraud case, inside a hotel in the Pipili area of Puri district.The victim, a job seeker from Bhubaneswar, lodged a complaint at the Dhauli police station. Police have arrested the accused, identified as Jitu alias Himansu Samal (36), a resident of Badchana area in Jajpur district.
Addressing a press meet, DCP Jagmohan Meena said the victim and her mother approached Dhauli police station and reported the sexual assault. “Preliminary investigation revealed that the incident occurred in a hotel in the Pipili area of Puri district. Considering the sensitivity of the case and on humanitarian grounds, we decided not to transfer the case to Pipili police station. We registered the case at Dhauli and initiated investigation to ensure justice for the victim,” the DCP said.
According to police, the victim had come in contact with a man who promised her a job and took ₹30,000 from her. The same person allegedly cheated several others, and the money received from them was deposited into the victim’s bank account. Sensing trouble, the victim and her mother sought help from Jitu Samal. Police said Jitu misused the situation. He allegedly called the victim and her mother from an unknown number, posing as a police officer, to scare them about the financial fraud, the DCP said.
When the frightened victim asked for his assistance, Jitu took her to a hotel in Pipili on the pretext of helping her lodge a complaint at the police station. Instead of taking her to the police station, he kept her in the hotel room, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her against her will at night.
The next morning, he allegedly threatened her not to disclose the incident, warning that he would expose her involvement in the financial matter. When Jitu tried to abscond, a Dhauli police team led by the Inspector-in-Charge arrested him. The accused has been taken into custody, and further investigation is underway, the DCP informed.
