Bhubaneswar: The Infocity Police here have arrested a inter-district fraudster wanted for allegedly orchestrating a massive vehicle service and investment scam amounting to Rs 3.5 crore.
The accused, identified as Sachidanand Bhoi of Kendupali under Bhatli police limits in Bargarh district, was tracked down to a hotel near Indo-Nepal and apprehended while attempting to flee the country. He was then produced before a local court in Siliguri, West Bengal, where police secured a four-day transit remand and brought him back to Bhubaneswar for further interrogation.
According to a senior police officer, Bhoi operated under the guise of an automotive service company named “Go Speedy Go” at Patia and Khandagiri in the city and one in Ganjam district. To build trust and lure unsuspecting victims, he dropped names, including that of the son of former Bargarh MP, Krupasindhu Bhoi. He used his employees to target their immediate social circles, convincing relatives and friends to invest heavily into his service centre business under the promise of lucrative returns and profit-sharing.
Victims were allegedly asked to invest between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh each as franchise fees.
After collecting an estimated Rs 3.5 crore, he abruptly closed the offices after about two months and disappeared. Realising they had been duped, the victims lodged a complaint with Infocity Police.
Investigation revealed that the accused was a habitual offender with at least seven cases pending against him across Odisha – three cases at Saheed Nagar police station, one each at Pahala police station, the Special Crime Unit, Bhubaneswar, and the CID Crime Branch, and one before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jharsuguda. A Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) is also pending against him.
Stating that the accused had duped around 150-200 people, the officer added that further investigation is underway to ascertain if he has committed similar crimes in other states.
