Police in Cuttack arrested three people, including a married couple, in connection with a drugging and robbery case reported earlier this year.
The accused have been identified as Itishree Sahoo (30), her husband Mahesh Kumar Das (39), and Narendra Moharana (48), who allegedly acted as the receiver of the stolen property.
According to police, the incident took place on January 10 at a hotel on Haripur–Dolamundai Road under the jurisdiction of Purighat Police Station. Investigators said the woman first contacted the victim, Bindu Bhusan Nanda, through social media and remained in touch with him for nearly two months.
Police alleged that Sahoo later persuaded the victim to meet her at a hotel. During the meeting, she reportedly served him a cold drink laced with sedatives. After the victim became unconscious, the accused allegedly fled with around 200 grams of gold ornaments, Rs1 lakh in cash, and also transferred Rs80,000 through an e-payment platform.
The crime came to light when the victim’s brother filed a complaint at Purighat police station. Following the FIR, investigators examined witnesses and analyzed CCTV footage from the hotel and nearby shops, which helped identify the suspects.
During the investigation, police found that the crime had been planned by Sahoo along with her husband.
Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Cuttack, said that based on technical evidence and CCTV verification, police teams were able to trace and arrest the accused. He added that a significant portion of the stolen property has been recovered.
Police seized several items during the operation, including an electric vehicle, a motorcycle, two mobile phones, renovated gold chains and a gold ring weighing over 151 grams, Rs53,500 in cash, and ATM and Aadhaar cards.
Officials said the investigation is ongoing to determine whether the accused were involved in similar crimes in the region.
