Bhubaneswar: Deputy chief minister K V Singh Deo lodged a police complaint on Wednesday after a fraudster allegedly posed as his aide and solicited money from individuals over phone calls.
According to Singh Deo’s office, he has directed Bhubaneswar cyber police to take swift action and arrest the culprit. “He has urged people to remain vigilant against such scammers. Adequate precautions must be taken to avoid falling into such traps,” the statement read.
Police sources said that in one case, a local businessman was duped into transferring Rs 2 lakh to the impersonator. The fraudster allegedly posed as a close aide of Singh Deo and promised to facilitate the victim’s govt-related work. The fraud came to light after the deputy CM’s office received a formal complaint from one of the victims recently.
“We are trying to trace the suspect through the phone number he used to contact victims. If anyone else has been cheated in a similar manner, they should immediately report to us,” a senior police officer said.
This incident follows a similar case last month when a radiologist at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar was duped of Rs 35,000. In that case, fraudsters mimicked the voice of law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan and posed as his close associates. Two men were arrested in connection with the scam.
Police have urged citizens to remain cautious and verify any suspicious calls claiming to be from govt officials.
Debabrata Mohapatra is an Assistant Editor at The Times of India,...
Read MoreDebabrata Mohapatra is an Assistant Editor at The Times of India, Bhubaneswar. He had been writing for TOI from Puri since 2006 before joining the Bhubaneswar bureau in August 2010. He covers crime, law & order and Congress.
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