Bhubaneswar: The Khandagiri Police Sunday arrested a man who allegedly tricked a woman into marriage and fleeced her by impersonating as a police inspector. Investigations have revealed that Subhash Chandra Pradha, 55, who is a native of Bhadrak district, had duped three more women in the past using the same modus operandi, ACP Zone- III Tapas Chandra Pradhan said.
In the present case, Pradhan said, Subash introduced himself as ‘Manoj Mishra’ to the victim, claiming that he is an inspector working at Sector-17 police station in Rourkela. Subash had also faked his identity on his social media handles, which showed him as a cop (in uniform) in several pictures. The ACP said the accused tricked the woman into a relationship after sending her a ‘friend request’ on her Facebook account.
As they became close, Subash proposed her for marriage. “Prior to the wedding, Subash had shown fake pictures of him that included him addressing subordinate cops in uniform, and doing night patrolling duty as a cop,” the victim mentioned in her complaint, adding that their relationship continued for four years. “Following the wedding August 21, 2023, his behaviour became suspicious as he refused to take me to his home. He said that my name needed to be updated in his ‘Service Records Book’ so that he could introduce me to his family and colleagues.
In addition, he cited that his sister-in-law is vehemently opposing his marriage, therefore, he needed a few days to calm her anger,” the victim said in her complaint. “The truth was laid bare after the victim, out of suspicion, checked the number plate of Subash’s four-wheeler. She then found that his actual name was ‘Subash’, and not ‘Manoj’,” said Pradhan. Preliminary investigations have revealed that Subash had swindled the victim of several thousand rupees under various pretexts. The Khandagiri Police booked Subash under Sections 419, 420, 493, 323 and 313 of IPC, and produced him before a local court Sunday.
DEBADURLLAV HARICHANDAN, OP