In a major breakthrough, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch has arrested a cunning fraudster, Chatur Kalia alias Kalindi Rout, from Pune.
Kalia had allegedly duped several police sub-inspector (SI) job aspirants of more than Rs 1 crore by promising them employment in 2021. He was nabbed while living under a hidden identity in the Maharashtra city, as per EOW sources.
The scam came to light after complaints were filed with the EOW regarding job-related fraud. Investigations revealed that Kalia, along with his accomplices, had posed as officials from the Home Department to lure unsuspecting candidates. They collected a staggering Rs 1.47 crore from the victims under the pretext of securing SI positions in the Odisha Police.
Prior to Kalia’s arrest, the EOW had apprehended three of his associates: Baikuntha Nath Naik from Nabarangpur, Bhimsen Maharana from Bhubaneswar, and Jayant Mohanty from Balasore. These individuals were involved in the 2021 racket, where they introduced themselves as influential government officials to build trust among the aspirants.
Kalia had been arrested earlier in connection with the case but was released on bail, after which he absconded. For years, he evaded capture by adopting a secretive life in Pune. The EOW’s special team kept a close watch on his movements and finally succeeded in apprehending him. He has since been brought back to Odisha, produced before a court, and remanded in custody for further interrogation.
The EOW suspects that more accomplices may be involved in the syndicate and is probing deeper into the network. Job scams are not new in Odisha, with fraudsters often exploiting the names of prominent figures to perpetrate such crimes. The agency has been taking stringent action against such offenders and urges job seekers to remain vigilant. “If anyone demands money in exchange for job promises, report it immediately to the police or EOW,” advised an EOW official.
