In a deeply unsettling case, Bhubaneswar taxi driver Bidyadhar Sahoo was found dead near Baranga–Pitapalli roadside on September 20, following a chain of events linked to a job fraud racket and alleged kidnapping.
The missing person report was filed by his wife, Mamina Khatua, at Badagada Police Station on September 19. Initial suspicions of foul play led to the registration of an FIR under sections 140(2)/3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Investigations revealed that Bidyadhar, who drove a white Swift Dzire (OD 02 CC 4237), was allegedly involved in a job fraud scheme with one Jyostna Rani Khuntia, referred to as “Madam.” Acting as a middleman, he collected money and original documents from job aspirants under false promises of employment.
On September 15, a group of defrauded individuals from Gajapati, Balasore, and Jajpur confronted Bidyadhar in Bhubaneswar and detained him. They later took him to Jajpur, where he remained in their custody. Despite attempts to recover their documents, tensions escalated.
On September 19, Bidyadhar reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented house in Jajpur. The accused then transported his body back to Bhubaneswar and attempted to stage the death as a hanging near Baranga–Pitapalli Road. Failing in their attempt, they abandoned the body and fled.
Police have arrested four individuals from Gajapati district:
- N. Dilip Kumar (37), Jogipada, Paralakhemudi
- Deepak Kumar Sahukar (30), Upalada, Gurandi
- Rabindra Behera (50), Upalada, Gurandi
- Ramesh Chandra Behera (56), Sridhara Nagar, Paralakhemudi
🔍 Seized Articles:
- 26 rubber stamps of various government/private organizations
- Original educational certificates of job aspirants
- Swift Dzire car of the deceased
- Two mobile phones suspected to belong to Bidyadhar
- Mobile handsets of the accused
The case has sparked outrage and raised urgent questions about job fraud networks and the vulnerability of job seekers. Police continue to investigate the role of the alleged mastermind and other possible accomplices.
