Bhubaneswar: The Economic offences wing officials arrested a conman for impersonating himself as a contractor and trying to sell the Nilachal Ashoka Hotel of India Tourism Development Corporation in Puri.
The accused has been identified as Anikesh Sahu, who impersonated himself as a contractor working with different projects of ITDC.
He was arrested from Buxi Bazaar in Cuttack city in EOW PS Case No-13/21.10.2021 under sections of 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of IPC. Later, he was produced in the court of SDJM, Bhubaneswar.
On the basis of a complaint lodged by Bijayini Mohanty of Puri, a case was registered in this connection. In her complaint, Bijayini stated that the main accused Sahu, Chandan Akash Mohanty and another person introduced themselves to her and her husband Tapan Kumar Mohanty as senior officers of ITDC. They made a false agreement with Tapan for the sale of Nilachal Ashoka Hotel in Puri and collected a huge amount from him.
Investigations reveal that Tapan is the sole proprietor of T.K. Egg and Chicken Centre in Puri. During January, 2020, Sahu, Mohanty and another person approached Tapan, introducing themselves as a contractor, senior officer of ITDC and a clerk of ITDC respectively.
They persuaded him to purchase ITDC’s Nilachal Ashoka Hotel in Puri for Rs 15 crore including Rs 3 crore as under table deal.
The accused persons collected Rs 50 lakh from Tapan through bank accounts and in cash. It was when he did not get any communication from ITDC Limited that he smelled a rat. Upon verification, he realised that he had been duped. He requested the trio to return his money. But they kept evading, citing pleas.
Unable to bear the shock of being duped of Rs 50 lakh, Tapan suffered a brain-stroke and is presently bed-ridden with paralysis. He has lost his speech and memory.
Notably, Chandan Akash Mohanty was arrested earlier for cheating special class contractor Dhanurdhara Champatiray by impersonating himself as an OTDC official and issuing fake work orders purportedly issued by OTDC, Bhubaneswar and collecting more than Rs 3 crore from the latter.
Efforts are on to nab the other persons involved in the case.
PNN