A youth from Nayagarh district was arrested by Lalbagh police for allegedly impersonating a police officer and cheating a woman out of Rs 1.64 lakh under the pretext of marriage.
The accused, Pratap Kumar Dash, originally from Fatehgarh village in Nayagarh, currently resides in Bhubaneswar’s Unit VI area. According to police reports, Dash befriended the victim, Bhanupriya, via Facebook and introduced himself as a member of the Odisha Police’s special squad. Over time, he gained her trust by promising to divorce his wife and marry her.
Bhanupriya, believing his claims, transferred ₹1.64 lakh to Dash for marriage-related expenses and relocation. However, after receiving the money, Dash began avoiding her and failed to fulfill any of his promises. When she demanded her money back, he allegedly threatened her with violence.
Following a complaint lodged at Khandagiri police station, the case was forwarded to multiple jurisdictions. Acting on the lead, Lalbagh police arrested Dash and recovered ₹30,000 from his possession. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigation is underway.
