The Commissionerate Police apprehended a man on Saturday accused of defrauding multiple women under the pretense of marriage. The suspect, identified as Satyajit Managovind Samal (36), hails from Jajpur and was residing in the Chandrasekharpur area of Bhubaneswar.
Samal allegedly swindled his victims through a matrimonial website, impersonating an Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer. His arrest followed a sting operation conducted by the Commissionerate Police.
Reports indicate that a female officer engaged with Samal, who had previously fled to Dubai after conning women. The arrest was prompted by complaints from two victims at the Capital Police station. He is accused of cheating one victim out of Rs36 lakh for a car and another victim out of Rs8 lakh and a motorcycle.
Sanjeeb Panda, the Twin City Police Commissioner, revealed that Samal rented out the stolen vehicles to generate income. “Satyajit would take cash and vehicles from the victims after interacting with them on the matrimonial site, and then he would escape to Dubai,” Panda stated.
Further investigations revealed that Samal had been in contact with 49 additional women on the matrimonial platform. The police also confiscated two marriage agreement documents.
Panda explained, “The accused targeted divorcees, engaging with them on the matrimonial site. After formalizing a marriage agreement, he would take money and vehicles from them.”
The arrest was complicated by Samal’s frequent escapes to Dubai. A strategic trap was set, ultimately leading to his capture.
A senior police official reported the seizure of Rs2 lakh in cash and several vehicles from the accused. Additionally, Rs1 lakh from his bank account has been frozen, along with accounts containing deposits exceeding Rs1 lakh and cash above Rs2 lakh. Some vehicles were also confiscated during the operation.