Dhenkanal Town Police have arrested one Niranjan Satapathy for allegedly cheating Odisha’s Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra of Rs 25 lakh under the guise of offering a land deal in the Banasingh area.
According to police sources, the incident dates back to 2021 when Satapathy reportedly assured the minister of facilitating the purchase of a prime plot. Trusting the offer, Patra paid Rs 25 lakh in advance. However, the deal never materialised, and Satapathy became untraceable shortly after.
Following a formal complaint lodged by the minister, police launched an investigation that ultimately led to the arrest of the accused on Monday. He is now in custody and will be produced in court for further proceedings.
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Preliminary inquiries suggest the possibility of more victims who may have fallen prey to similar promises. Officials confirmed that further investigation is underway to unravel the full extent of the fraud.
