Bhubaneswar: Mangalabag Police on Sunday arrested a man for allegedly cheating a buyer of Rs 1.8 lakh by posting a fake vehicle sale advertisement on Facebook.
The accused has been identified as Priyabrat Das alias Kanha, lured the victim through a social media post, finalised the deal, and collected the money without delivering the vehicle.
Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo shared the details during a media briefing on Sunday.
“The accused had posted an advertisement on Facebook to sell a vehicle. After seeing the ad, the complainant contacted Das and paid him Rs 1.8 lakh after finalizing the deal. However, after receiving the money, the accused began avoiding the complainant. Realizing that he had been duped, the complainant filed a complaint with the Mangalabag Police. Based on the complaint, an investigation was launched and using the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, our team was able to arrest the accused,” the DCP said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Das had cheated at least seven persons using similar methods. Police have recovered Rs 65,000 in cash from his possession. Further investigation is underway to identify additional victims.
