Bhubaneswar: A 55-year-old man was arrested for allegedly defrauding a resident of Bhubaneswar of Rs 18 lakh by promising a job for his son at NALCO.
The accused has been identified as Naresh Barik alias Butu, a resident of Pragati Vihar.
According to police sources, Barik initially introduced himself as a dealer for Reliance and NALCO and later posed as an Assistant General Manager (AGM) at NALCO to gain the trust of Sarbeswar Samal with whom he connected in 2021 through an associate, Dillip Bhatta.
The duo then convinced Samal to get his son appointed at NALCO. Following which, he paid Rs 18 lakh through PhonePe, Google Pay, bank transfers, and in cash to Barik, who then handed over fake appointment letters, ID cards, gate passes, and medical fitness certificates in NALCO’s format.
The fraud came to light on March 19, 2025, when Samal’s son reached NALCO office and was informed that all documents were forged.
Badagada police registered a case under IPC Sections 419, 420, 468, and 34, and arrested Barik at around 1 pm on Monday. Forged documents, two cheques of Rs 5 lakh each, bank transaction details, and e-wallet statements were seized from the accused.
Further investigation is underway to trace Bhatta and identify other potential victims.
