Mancheswar Police have busted a sophisticated inter-district family gang involved in duping vehicle owners and finance companies worth lakhs of rupees.
Two key accused—identified as Manoj Mohapatra (40) and his brother Ashok Kumar Mohapatra—were arrested on Saturday morning and remanded to judicial custody.
The Scam Unfolds
The matter came to light following a formal complaint filed by Biswaranjan Patra, a representative of a private firm. According to police sources, the victim’s company had handed over a BharatBenz heavy vehicle to Niranjan Mohapatra under an official agreement on May 20, 2026.
Under the terms of the agreement, the accused was supposed to pay 33 pending EMI instalments amounting to approximately Rs 37.5 lakh directly to the finance company, alongside a monthly rental fee of Rs 15,000 to the complainant.
On July 31, 2026, Niranjan Mohapatra along with his sons, Manoj and Ashok, took possession of the truck after paying a token amount of just Rs 10,000. However, the accused soon stopped making EMI payments, dumping the massive financial burden back onto the original owner.
An Inter-District Network
Subsequent police investigations revealed that this was not an isolated incident of breach of trust, but part of a well-oiled, family-operated criminal racket.
The gang’s modus operandi involved acquiring vehicles from unsuspecting owners under rent-to-own agreements, defaulting on EMIs, and illegally selling or transferring the vehicles to third parties before absconding. To evade law enforcement, the family frequently shifted locations across Odisha.
Investigators confirmed that the family network spans multiple districts, including Ganjam & Brahmapur, Raurkela & Sundaragada, Kandhamala, Boudh, Bhadrak
Police Action and Remand
Following credible inputs, a team from Mancheswar Police Station tracked down and arrested Manoj Mohapatra and Ashok Kumar Mohapatra around 11:00 AM on October 10, 2026.
The arrested duo has been booked under Sections 303(2), 318(4), 316(2), and 111(2)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) under Case No. 586 dated 14.08.2026. They were produced before the local court with a prayer for a 15-day police remand to trace the stolen vehicle and investigate their involvement in similar fraud cases across the state.
Efforts are currently underway to apprehend the remaining family members and recover the defrauded assets. Further investigation is ongoing.
