A youth from Nayagarh district, Pratap Kumar Dash, was arrested by Lalbagh police on charges of impersonating a police officer and cheating a woman out of Rs 1.64 lakh under the pretext of marriage. The 25-year-old, originally from Fatehgarh village in Nayagarh and currently residing in Bhubaneswar’s Unit VI area, is accused of defrauding Bhanupriya, a woman he befriended via Facebook.
Dash introduced himself as a member of the Odisha Police’s special squad and gained Bhanupriya’s trust over time. He promised to divorce his wife and marry her. Believing his claims, Bhanupriya transferred Rs 1.64 lakh to Dash for marriage-related expenses and relocation costs. However, after receiving the money, Dash began avoiding her and failed to follow through on his promises.
When Bhanupriya demanded the return of her money, Dash allegedly threatened her with violence. Frustrated, Bhanupriya lodged a complaint at Khandagiri police station, which was subsequently forwarded to Lalbagh police.
Acting on the lead, the Lalbagh police arrested Dash and recovered Rs 30,000 from his possession. A case has been registered against Dash under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigations are ongoing to determine if there are additional victims.
