Bhubaneswar: A woman has been arrested for allegedly duping a man of over Rs 8.75 lakh by establishing a fake relationship with him through social media, the Cyber Crime Police in Bhubaneswar confirmed on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Sanjukta Bhuiyan, was apprehended from Keonjhar following an investigation into a complaint filed by Bishnu Prasad Muduli on January 27, 2025.
According to Cyber ACP Akshaya Kumar Nayak, Muduli received a friend request on Facebook from the accused, which he accepted. The two gradually developed a close friendship that turned into an intimate online relationship. They began chatting on WhatsApp and eventually exchanged phone numbers.
The accused later claimed that her brother had suffered a leg injury and sought financial assistance from Muduli. Believing her, he transferred money to her in multiple installments via PhonePe, amounting to Rs 8,75,800 between June 11, 2024, and January 20, 2025.
“After some time, the complainant grew suspicious and confronted her, demanding the money back. In response, the woman created a new WhatsApp account using the display picture of the IIC of Town police station, Keonjhar and allegedly threatened him for asking about the money,” said Nayak.
Upon receiving the complaint, the cyber crime team verified the transaction records and gathered sufficient evidence.
A special team led by Investigation Officer Santoshini Behera, Additional IIC at the Cyber Crime Police Station, proceeded to Keonjhar and arrested the accused around 4:40 pm.
Following proper documentation and medical examination, Bhuiyan was produced before the SDJM Court in Bhubaneswar, which remanded her to judicial custody.
