Dhauli Police arrested a 36-year-old man on Sunday for allegedly cheating a woman of Rs 3 lakh on the pretext of starting a joint hotel business.
The accused has been identified as Prashant Kumar Pradhan, a native of Puri currently residing in Old Town, Bhubaneswar.
According to police, Rinu Nayak entered into an agreement with Pradhan on December 26, 2025, to launch a hotel named “Skyport Inn” in Ganganagar, Unit-6, paying Rs 3 lakh via cheque. Pradhan failed to start the business or complete the paperwork. When the victim demanded her money back, he threatened to kill her if she approached the police.
Although police intervention forced the return of Rs 2,05,000, Pradhan deliberately misappropriated the remaining balance of Rs 95,000. Investigators gathered bank statements, cheques, and the partnership deed.
Police revealed that Pradhan was previously arrested by Badagada Police in a similar cheating case. He has been arrested and forwarded to court.
