Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch has arrested owner of a news web portal from Bhubaneswar for allegedly cheating a realtor of Rs 1 crore through forged documents.
The accused has been identified as Surjit Kumar Dhal, a resident of Jymkhana Palm Height Apartment near SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar.
According to an press release issued by the EOW, Dhal, owner of web news portal ‘Reporters Today and newspaper ‘Mahabharata’ was arrested on Friday under sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the IPC on the basis of a written complaint of Kalinga Keshari Rath having real estate business against the accused for cheating him of Rs 1 crore by using forged documents and also extorting/cheating money by impersonating as an influential person having big contacts.
The EOW produced accused Dhal before the Designated Court under OPID, Cuttack today.
The EOW release said, “As found the accused Dhal who happens to be the owner of one web news portal ‘Reporters Today’ and Newspaper ‘Mahabharat’ by giving the impression to the informant that he is a big person in the field of media and also impersonating as influential person with big contacts and forging many documents like fake BDA approval etc. induced the informant to pay him around Rs 1 crore that was paid through account and in cash. This apart, he had taken one Mercedes and Audi vehicle from the complainant/ victim”.
After knowing about the fraud committed by the accused, the informant asked him to repay the amount taken from him and also to return his aforementioned two costly cars. Accused Dhal although returned the vehicles yet did not return the amount despite several requests. The accused also threatened the victim (informant) that by using his influence he will destroy his business/ interests, the release further stated.
Further investigation of the case is underway, the release added.
