A sophisticated fraud gang has been dismantled by Odisha police following two major cheating incidents in Bhubaneswar, with a combined loss of Rs 10,50,000.
The cases, registered at Nayapalli and Bharatpur police stations, exposed a cunning group preying on innocent individuals with promises of doubling their money through a fake currency exchange scheme.
On February 15, 2025, Binod Kumar Swain, a 35-year-old resident of Jaydev Vihar, filed a complaint at Nayapalli Police Station (Case No. 54, U/S 305 BNS) after being cheated of Rs 6,00,000. The incident occurred at his residence around 11:30 AM, where a group convinced him to exchange five hundred rupee notes for double the amount in old hundred rupee denominations. In a similar case, Chhabi Behera reported a loss of Rs 4,50,000 on February 14, 2025, at Baramunda Bus Stand, leading to a case at Bharatpur Police Station (Case No. 80, U/S 303(2)/318(2)/318(4)/3(5) BNS).
Police arrested five accused: Siku @ Anil Kumar Mistry (37) from Sundergarh, Chandan @ Dilip Singh (48) from Cuttack, Batakrushna Pradhan (55) from Cuttack, Tutu @ Chitaranjan Das (40) from Angul, and Mamata Samal (40) from Angul. Seized items include cash, eight mobile phones, and 15 bundles of paper cuttings disguised as currency in bags.
The gang’s modus operandi involved targeting simple-looking individuals at railway stations, hospitals, parks, and markets. They built trust through friendly conversation, promising to double the money by exchanging five-hundred-rupee notes for hundred-rupee denominations, claiming the latter was black money. After fixing a time and place, they handed over bags with genuine notes only on the top and bottom, filled with plain paper, and advised victims to check the cash at home before fleeing.
Authorities have urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid engaging with strangers offering dubious financial deals. “Report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station immediately,” a police spokesperson said.
The investigation continues to uncover potential additional victims and the full extent of the gang’s operations.
