A female doctor in Bhubaneswar became the latest victim of a sophisticated land fraud when a man posing as a genuine property seller allegedly swindled her of more than Rs 1 crore through a web of false promises, fake documents and multiple bank transactions.
Badagada Police Station has arrested Ranjit Kumar Sahu and forwarded him to court after he confessed during interrogation. The accused had lured the complainant with offers to sell land in Pathargadia mouza under Chandaka police station limits.
According to police, Sahu first entered into an agreement to sell 3,000 square feet of land and collected an advance amount. He later extracted a much larger sum through repeated bank transfers. To make the deal appear legitimate, he arranged for three other persons to execute sale deeds on his behalf. However, those individuals were not the actual owners, and neither possession nor Record of Rights (RoR) was ever transferred to the doctor’s name.
Not content with the first round of cheating, Sahu signed a fresh agreement promising another 6,000 square feet and collected additional advance money. Once again, he failed to deliver any land.
The investigation revealed a clear pattern of fraud. Police seized multiple agreements, sale deeds and bank statements during the probe. Bank records showed that huge amounts were deposited into the accounts of Sahu and his wife.
During questioning, Sahu admitted to his crimes. Police also found that he has a previous criminal case registered at Parjang Police Station in Dhenkanal district.
The arrest has once again highlighted the risks involved in property deals in the state capital, where fraudsters often exploit buyers with attractive offers and fake documentation. Badagada Police have urged citizens to thoroughly verify land records and ownership before making any payments.
The case is now under further investigation.
