EOW ARRESTS ONE FRAUDSTER FOR IMPERSONATING AS ITDC OFFICIAL IN A FRAUD CASE TRYING TO SELL ITDC HOTEL NILACHAL ASHOK OF PURI
Bureau,Odishabarta
Bhubaneswar:Economic Offences Wing, Bhubaneswar has arrested accused Anikesh Sahu on 22.10.2021 from Buxibazar, Cuttack in EOW PS Case No. 13 dt. 21.10.2021 U/s 419/420/467/468/471/120-B IPC. He is being forwarded to the court of SDJM, Bhubaneswar today.
The above referred EOW PS Case No. 13 of 2021 has been registered on the basis of a written complaint filed by Smt. Bijayini Mohanty of Puri on the allegation that accused Anikesh Sahu in criminal conspiracy with accused Chandan Akash Mohanty, Ex-contractual Assistant Engineer in OTDC, Bhubaneswar and another, impersonating themselves as senior officer of ITDC authorized by secretary Tourism, New Delhi had cheated her & her husband- Tapan Kumar Mohanty by making false agreement with said Tapan Kumar Mohanty for the sale of Hotel Nilachal Ashok Hotel , ITDC at Puri and collected huge amount from him.
Investigation of the case revealed that Tapan Kumar Mohanty, husband of complainant is the sole Proprietor of T.K. Egg & Chicken Centre, Puri and carries on wholesale business of egg & chicken in Puri. During the month of January-2020, accused Chandan Akash Mohanty impersonating himself as senior officer of ITDC Ltd. and the present accused- Anikesh Sahu introducing himself as a contractor working with different projects of ITDC along with another, who impersonated himself as a clerk of ITDC had met Tapan Kumar Mohanty through one of his friend and persuaded him to purchase hotel Nilachal Ashok Hotel of ITDC at Puri to him for an amount of Rs 15 crores including 3 crores as under table deal. During February, 2020, the above accused persons had executed an agreement with him, wherein accused Chandan Akash Mohanty signed in the capacity of authorized signatory for ITDC Ltd. and the present accused and another signed as witness. The above accused persons have already collected more than Rs. 50 lakhs from Tapan Kumar Mohanty through bank account as well as in cash. In order to win the trust, the accused persons first made him to deposit Rs 20 lakhs in the official account of ITDC maintained at Delhi but took Rs 30 lakhs in cash in order to pursue/ push the matter. However, subsequently, when he did not get any communication from ITDC Ltd., he smelled the fraud. On verification, he came to know that he has been deceived by the accused persons. Then, he requested the accused persons to return him his money. But the accused persons evaded with different pleas.
Tapan Kumar Mohanty being victimized of the fraud suffered a brain stroke out of shock and now is bedridden suffering from paralysis, losing his speech and memory for which his wife filed the complaint.
It is pertinent to mention here that earlier accused Chandan Akash Mohanty has been arrested in another case of EOW vide Case No. 10 of 2021 for the offence of cheating one Dhanurdhara Champatiray, a Special Class Contractor by impersonating himself as an OTDC Official and issued fake work orders purportedly issued by OTDC, Bhubaneswar and collected more than 3 crores against fake work orders. He is still in judicial custody. During investigation of that case incriminating documents/ articles like seals of Chandan Akash Mohnaty as Member of ITDC have been seized from his possession.
It has also come to notice that accused Chandan Akash Mohanty and his associates have cheated other persons too in similar fashion involving huge amount which is being investigated.
This is worth to mention that Hotel Nilachal Ashok is located close to the Raj Bhawan in Puri and was built in 1983.
Investigation of the case is continuing to nab the other accused persons involved in this case and in similar kind of frauds.
