Bhubaneswar: Investigation into the thuggery/cheating/impersonation case unearthed recently by the Odisha STF revealed that the mastermind of the crime, Kanhu Charan Pradhan, was earlier booked for at least six cases.
Police have seized a number of fake Identity cards from the possession of the accused Kanhu Charan Pradhan who along with his associates cheated innocent people by impersonating high-level government officials. They prepared fake/forged identity cards and impersonated senior officers of various departments of the Government of Odisha and the Government of India.
Earlier, the ID cards seized from his possession include Assistant Director (Tech), Director of PS&P, Odisha, Cuttack; Chairman SC & ST Welfare, Home Department, Government of Odisha; CZM (Special Project) National Highway Authority of India; CCM (Special Project) National Highway Authority of India; and CCM Project, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. Several cases under various Sections of the IPC are pending against the accused at different police stations in Odisha.
In the latest case, accused Kanhu Charan Pradhan forcibly took possession of a foreign liquor shop from the complainant by impersonating a senior government and executing an agreement. This group has been indulging in thuggery/cheating/impersonation at various places in Odisha.
During the investigation, it was also noticed that this group uses some mule bank accounts including those of dead persons. They trick people by saving their numbers as some senior officers and when people verify them on ‘True-caller” they start trusting them as genuine. The STF has requested people who have been cheated by Kanhu Pradhan or his associates to contact them on Toll-Free No. 18003457103 for necessary assistance/action. Further investigation into these cases is underway.
