Cuttack: The Odisha Crime Branch has intensified its probe in the case involving a dentist couple duped of Rs 1 crore by a Cuttack-based ‘real estate agent’.
According to sources, the Crime Branch has attached 3 bank accounts of the self-proclaimed real estate agent identified as Soumya Ranjan Jena of Gatiroutpatna in Cuttack.
As per the complaint of the dentist couple Dr Minu Agarwal and her husband Dr Rohit Agarwal, they have been duped of over Rs 1 crore in different phases since December 2021 by Jena.
The man approached the doctor couple and lured them into real estate business three years back. He had opened two firms named Tasi Real Estate and SR Developers, the complaint stated.
According to the couple, they deposited money at regular intervals in a joint account (with Jena) at a bank in Link Road area of Cuttack. Several people also deposited money amounting Rs 35 lakh in the same account at various stages, said sources.
However, they were conned as Jena withdrew the money with an assurance to purchase land for the business but deposited it in SR Developer’s account, sources added.
On realising that they were duped, the doctor couple demanded their money back only to be rebuked by Jena and his associate Alok Biswal with abuses, they said.
Following this the couple approached the Crime Branch and lodged a formal complaint.
In course of investigation, the crime branch learnt that Jena had defrauded a stationary shop owner of Lalbag of Rs 3.74 lakh by promising him a piece of land in Barang area of Cuttack district.
The store owner realised of being duped after getting to know that the land was already sold in January 2020.
According to sources, the Crime Branch is connecting all pieces and recording statement victims in the case to investigate further. However, the cops were tight lipped about the matter and did not divulge much when contacted.