Two men, Manoj Sahoo (35) and Pradeep Sahoo (28), were arrested on Thursday for allegedly stealing debit cards from senior citizens in Cuttack district to fund their addiction to fantasy cricket betting on a popular online gaming platform.
According to Cuttack Rural SP Prateek Singh, Manoj Sahoo, the primary accused, had been engaging in various criminal activities—theft, robbery, cheating, and snatching—for years to maintain his betting obsession. The motive behind the crimes was to win crores in prize money and luxury SUVs promised by fantasy sports promotions.
Police investigations have uncovered that Manoj is a habitual offender with 43 prior criminal cases.
From January to March 2025, the duo targeted elderly people using ATM kiosks in Athagarh. Posing as helpful bystanders, they offered to assist the senior citizens during transactions, secretly memorizing PIN numbers and later swapping the ATM cards with fake ones.
Manoj’s accomplice, Pradeep, played a supporting role in the operation.
Police are continuing their investigation to trace other possible victims and ascertain the full scope of the financial fraud.
